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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2003-08-11 Item 5A - Resolution - Administrative Variance to Flood Ord #1462 for Wet Floodproofing of Starfire Maintenance & Concession FacilityCOUNCIL .,4 GENDA SYNOPSIS  ................... Initials ITEM No. Meeting Date Prepared by Mayor's r~iew Council review  8/11/03 CAS Number: 03-102 [ Orig~al Agenda Date: August 11, 2003 Agenda kern Title: Vgi~ee for Wet-Floodpmofing- S~W~e Ma~tenance/Coneession Faeiliw Original Sponsor: Council Admin. Public Works Timeline: Sponsor's Summa: ~e CiW pmicipates in ~e National Flood Insur~ce Pro~ ~d ~is requires that all new development wi~in flood h~gd ~eas mee~ federal s~dgds. Wet-floodproofing is allowed in ee~in situations ~d lets floodwater inundate the ~emre. Resolution No. 1526 approved wet-floodprooflng for ~e A~letie Center on 6/23/03. S~re also proposes to wet-floodproof · e mainten~ee/coneession faeiliW by allowing floodwatem to enter ~e s~emre ~d elevate all of i~ eomponen~ at least one foot above ~e base flood elevation. ~e remainder of~e s~e~e would be allowed to flood ~d would be cons~eted wi~ materials ~at wi~s~d flood d~age. Since this is not the s~d~d es~blished by FE~ or included Ord~ce, a vgi~ee must be issue. Recommendations: Sponsor: Fo~md m Council for approval. Commi~ee: S~e ~ sponsor. Adminis~ation: S~e as sponsor. Cost Impact (if ~o~): Fund Soume (if ~o~): Meeting D~e Action 8/11/03 Meeting Date Attachments 8/11/03 Information Memo dated July 31, 2003 Resolution Utilities Committee Meeting Minutes from August 5, 2003 INFORMATION MEMO TO: Mayor Mullet FROM: Public Works Directo~''~ DATE: July 31, 2003 SUBJECT: Wet-Floodproofing Variance - Starfire Maintenance and Concession Facility ISSUE Provide a variance to Flood Ordinance No. 1462 to allow Wet-Floodproofmg of the Starflre Maintenance and Concession Facility within Fort Dent Park. BACKGROUND The City of Tukwila participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. This program requires the City to adoPt floodplain management standards and a floodplain construction permit process to ensure that all new development and redevelopment within flood ha?ord areas meets federal standards. These new standards stipulate that when development is proposed within a flood hazard area, the base flood elevation may not be increased and that all structures must either be elevat~l or flood-proofed one foot above the base flood elevation. Floodproofing is not allowed for residential constmcfion. The FEMA standard for floodproofing is a method known as dry-floodproofing. Dry- floodproofing requires that the structure is watertight one foot above the base flood elevation and prevents the inundation of floodwaters into the structure. Wet- floodproofing is allowed for certain situations and is accomplished by letting floodwaters inundate the structure. The structure is consU'ucted of materials that will not be damaged by floodwaters to an elevation one foot above the base flood elevation. All materials subject to damage must be located above thi.q elevation. Since wet- floodproofing is not the standard established by FEMA or included in our City Ordinance, a variance must be issued. ANALYSIS City staff has reviewed FEMA guidelines, the City's Flood Ordinance, and sought guidance from the Department of Ecology who administers flood control issues for FEMA, and determined that wet-floodproofing is permitted under limited situations. These situations are: Mayor Mullet Page 2 July 31, 2003 · The applicant desires to wet-floodproof. · Notification to the applicant that a variance will not alter the actuarial rating of a structure for flood insurance purposes. · That a lesser degree of floodproofmg will not subvert the goals of flood plain management. · That the structure must be protected to the maximin extent possible using an appropriate alternative flood protection technique. · Providing dry-floodproofmg would cause an exceptional hardship. · A variance is obtained permitting this method. The Starfire Maintenance and Concession Facility is a building containing restrooms, a concession area, and storage area. The facility is proposed to be located within an area that is well below the base flood elevation. Starfire proposes to wet-floodproof this structure by allowing floodwaters to enter the structure. If the variance is approved, the City will impose an additional requirement for Starfire to install a manual valve to protect the sewer system from being inundated. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that a variance be granted to the City's Flood Ordinance No. 1462 to allow wet-floodproofmg of the Starfire Maintenance and Concession Facility. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, ALLOWING FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE TO TUKWILA MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 16.52 AND ALLOWING FOR THE WET FLOODPROOFING OF THE STARFIRE MAINTENANCE/ CONCESSION FACILITY. WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila has entered into an agreement with Starfire Sports to develop and operate park, athletic, recreation and associated facilities at the Fort Dent Park; and WHEREAS, portions of Fort Dent Park are within the Green River floodplain; and WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and this program requires the City to adopt floodplain management standards and a floodplain construction permit process; and WHEREAS, the proposed Maintenance /Concession Facility does not meet the federal standards for floodplain construction in accordance with Chapter 16.52 of the Tukwila Municipal Code, dry floodproofing methods must be used; and WHEREAS, Starfire Sports has requested a variance that would allow for wet floodproofing of the Maintenance /Concession Facility, an acceptable alternative under limited situations; and WHEREAS, The City of Tukwila has adopted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Flood Proofing Regulations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodproofing Standards, and the Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) Regulations which allow the City to grant wet floodproofing variances to those standards and requirements if certain criteria are met as found in FIA Section 1910.6(a) of FIA Regulations; and WHEREAS, the proposed Starfire construction meets all of the FEMA wet- floodproofing variance criteria, to wit: wet floodproofing will not alter the actuarial rating of the Maintenance /Concession Facility for flood insurance purposes, will not subvert the goals of flood plain management, the Maintenance /Concession Facility will have all of its components subject to flood damage at least one foot above the base flood elevation, and the federal standard (dry- floodproofing) would cause an exceptional financial hardship; NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, DO HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The above Whereas recitals are herein adopted as findings of fact. Section 2. The Public Works Department is hereby authorized to grant a flood zone permit allowing for wet- floodproofing of the Starfire Maintenance /Concession Facility. Wet floodproofing shall be an administrative variance to Tukwila Municipal Code 16.52 due to the compelling public policy reasons stated above. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a Regular Meeting thereof this day of 2003. ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED: Jane E. Cantu, CMC, City Clerk Pam Carter, Council President APPROVED AS TO FORM BY: Office of the City Attorney Starfire Concession 8/8/03.doc Filed with the City Clerk• Passed by the City Council: Resolution Number Utilities Committee August $, 2003 Present: Pam Linder, Chair; Dave Fenton, Joan Hernandez ~lim Morrow, Mike Cusick, Brian Sh¢lton, Prank Lriarte, Pat Brodin, Gall Labanara, Lucy Lauterbach 1. 2003 Small Drainage Program Bid Award The 2003 project includes five projects and one alternative. Of six bids, the lowest was from DL Asahara for $279,519.44. The additive could not be afforded at this time so is not included. References were somewhat inconclusive, as the company references(which were good) were for landscaping and irrigation, not drainage work. The engineer's base bid was $310,000, so the committee recoramanded project award. Award ~msll drainage project award to DL Asahara at a Regular Meeting. 2. Infiltration and Inflow 2003 Manhole Repairs In March the City contracted with Pivetta Brothers for work on three manhole repairs and related work. There was one change order. The project final cost was $47,749.35. The work is complete. Recommend contract acceptance and release of retainage to Regular Meeting consent agenda. 3. Cascade Water Alliance After analyzing the cost of buying water from Seattle in the future versus what it might cost from Cascade Water Alliance, Public Works recommended proceeding with Cascade Water. They estimated that their costs would be lower than Seattle's for the next 47 years. It's very difficult to estimate future costs and supply, but staff was confident CWA (Cascade) will be ahead in the long run. The committee said they trusted staffs analysis. Recommend staying the current course with Cascade. 4. Sewer Utili .ty Rates Tukwila has not raised sewer rates since 1996, and in the past year or two has had to dip into the reserve account to pay for maintenance and operations (M & O). Metru's portion of the sewer bill is $23.40, while the city portion of the bill is $5. Tukwila's sewer charges are lower than other valley cities and districts. Staff recommended raising the $28.40 rate by $2.00. The Committee was concerned whether even that would cover all the sewer needs for M & O. We've used up half the reserve in paying maintenance costs. The water and sewer pipes in the CBD were all installed in the 1960's and will all need replacing in the next few years. The committee wanted to look at rates if not next year then at least in two more years. They pointed out the City has merely passed on Metro cost increases in recent years, and has absorbed some costs. Recommend sewer rate increase to COW. ~1~5. Wet-Floodproofing Variance Though the main building at Starflre has been taken care of for floodprooding, the concessionaire and restrooms have not. Staffrecommended granting them a variance for being in the floodplain. The committee members agreed that if the insurance was ok with it, the City could be. Jim assured them a hold harmless motion would be included, as well as a requirement for a manual shut offof the sewage system in the event of a flood. Joan asked who would shut it off at 2 am. Jim said he would work with Starfire to resolve issues like that. Recommend variance.