EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: May 3, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
BY: Humza Javed, City Engineer
SUBJECT: Authorization to apply for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to submit an application for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 4: Improve Public Facilities and Infrastructure Priority No. 6: Create a Healthy and Safe Community
Background
The California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) recently released a call for the Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant Program (HMGP). The 2021 HMGP funding opportunity provides support for communities to implement mitigation activities to reduce risk to life and property from natural hazards. City Staff submitted a notice of intent (NOI) on February 14, 2022 for the O’Connor Stormwater Pump Station Improvements project.
Analysis
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds plans and projects that reduce the effects of future natural disasters. The City has submitted a grant application for the O’Connor Pump station project Phase II (CIP SD-06B). This project is included in the 10-year adopted Capital Improvement Plan as an unfunded project for FY 22-23 in the amount of approximately $8 million. The O’Connor Pump Station was built in 1983, and it is the City’s only pump station that drains the majority of the City.
The O’Connor Pump Station project is divided into two phases. The first phase (SD-06A) includes more urgent and critical upgrades as well as code compliance items, such as removal of the underground diesel tank, upgrade of a pump and replacement of shafts. Recently approved $800,000 earmark funds will drive this project.
The second phase of the O’Connor Pump Station Project (subject of the HMG grant) will increase the stormwater pumping capacity from marginally handling a 10-year flooding event to a fully handling a 100-year flooding event for this critical community infrastructure by adding additional pumping capacity and making structural changes to provide better flow hydraulics.
The upgraded pump station will change out diesel driven pumps with electric driven pumps that will increase the pumping capacity from 200 cfs to 290 cfs, modify the wetwell of the pump station to bring it up to Hydraulic Institute standards, and provide back-up power in the event of a power failure.
This project if awarded, would begin with the design/permitting phase which is estimated to take up to twenty four (24) months. The subsequent construction phase is estimated to take ten (10) months.
Because this grant application deadline had a quick turnaround, staff, with the assistance of its consultant, Harris & Associates submitted the application on April 13th 2022. Staff is requesting City Council ratify the submittal of this grant application.
Grant guidelines are located at:
<https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/recovery/disaster-mitigation-technicalsupport/404-hazard-mitigation-grant-program> Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact with the submittal of this grant application. The most recent cost estimate for design, construction, construction management, and contingency is approximately $12 million. A 25% city match in the amount of $3 million would be required. FEMA will review applications and tentatively provide further direction to agencies in 2023. If the City’s application is approved, staff will return to City Council with a CIP budget update in the future.
Public Notice
The public was provided notice of this agenda item by posting the City Council agenda on the City’s official bulletin board outside City Hall and making the agenda and report available at the City’s website and at the San Mateo Co. Library located at 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto.
Environmental
The action being considered by the City Council is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a “project” pursuant to 15378(b)(4) because it is a fiscal activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant impact on the environment.
Attachments
1. Resolution