Subject:
Title
F.D.E.M. Hazard Mitigation Grant/Voluntary Buyout for North Merritt Island
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Fiscal Impact:
FY 21-22: Up to $104,262 in Fund 1112/260030 (D-2 Stormwater Assessment) (Matching funds are budgeted in the Stormwater Capital Improvement Plan)
Up to $312,262 F.E.M.A Funded Residential Voluntary Buyout H.M.G.P. Grant Revenue
Dept/Office:
Natural Resources Management Department
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners: (1) Authorize the Chair to execute Cost-Share Agreement Contract No. H0408 (Project No. 4337-282-R), between Brevard County and the State of Florida to purchase and raze the home located at 4560 Horseshoe Bend and regrade the property, due to repetitive flooding damage; (2) Authorize the County Manager, or designee, to execute future contract amendments subject to the approval of the County Attorney's Office and Risk Management; (3) Approve associated budget change requests.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
The residence at 4560 Horseshoe Bend, Merritt Island 32952 has experienced significant repetitive flooding impacts from at least three major rain events within the last 26 years. This parcel is particularly low in elevation in relation to the surrounding area and roads and is subject to repetitive flooding within the interior of the home. The current homeowner has filed three large insurance claims for interior home flooding damage resulting from Tropical Storm Gordon in 1996, Tropical Storm Fay in 2008, and Hurricane Irma in 2017. In 2009, the Public Works Department implemented measures to reduce the chances of flooding in this specific area of North Merritt Island, known as Horseshoe Bend, by installing a flap-gate at the end of the outfall pipe within the receiving drainage ditch on Hall Road to prevent the back-flow of water from the ditch into the subdivision. Although this was a very effective measure for most homes, the property at 4560 Horseshoe Bend flooded once again following Hurricane Irma and the 45 days of subsequent rainfall that followed.
In July 2018, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (F.E.M.A) advertised a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (H.M.G.P.) voluntary buyout grant to assist with the purchase of residential properties experiencing repetitive flooding and related losses. The Stormwater Program applied for this grant, with homeowners' authorization for this property as well as four additional properties; however, in the end only the property at 4560 Horseshoe Bend qualified for the grant.
The 75% H.M.G.P. grant/25% local match cost-share will assist in covering the costs for appraisals, property/land acquisition, testing, inspections, and permits, and demolition of the residential and associated buildings within the property boundaries as well as re-grading the lot to natural elevations by a qualified and licensed Florida contractor. The owner’s consent up to this point has been a conceptual one which is not binding. While this proposed contract is for the grant this is all preliminary to the owner accepting an appraisal-based offer for to purchase the property. Therefore, the actual use of the grant is dependent on reaching an acceptable agreement to acquire the property after generating the appraisal etc.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
The Chair will need to execute three original contracts.