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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Meeting - Council - Agenda - 02/11/2013 KENT CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS KE N-j^ February 11, 2013 W. ...... Council Chambers Mayor Suzette Cooke Council President Dennis Higgins Councilmember Elizabeth Albertson Councilmember Bill Boyce Councilmember Jamie Perry Councilmember Dana Ralph Councilmember Deborah Ranniger Councilmember Les Thomas COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA 7:00 p.m. 1. CALL TO ORDER/FLAG SALUTE 2. ROLL CALL 3. OTHER BUSINESS A. To consider and adopt a Resolution on the Briscoe Desimone levee repair 4. ADJOURNMENT NOTE: A copy of the full agenda packet is available for perusal in the City Clerk's Office. The Agenda Summary page and complete packet are on the City of Kent web site at www.KentWa.gov An explanation of the agenda format is given on the back of this page. Any person requiring a disability accommodation should contact the City Clerk's Office in advance at (253) 856-5725. For TDD relay service call the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-833-6388. RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, endorsing King, County Flood Control District Executive Committee's decision to recommend repair and reconstruction of the Briscoe-Desimone levee to the King County Flood Control District Board of Supervisors in, accordance with the project proposal developed by the city of Kent,' RECITALS A. The King County Flood Control District ("District") was established in April, 2007 by ordinance 15728 of the Metropolitan King County Council to protect public health and safety, regional economic centers, public and private properties and transportation corridors. The District is an independent special purpose district and will be instrumental in addressing the backlog ,of maintenance and repairs to levees and revetments, acquiring repetitive loss properties and other at-risk floodplain properties, and improving countywide flood warning and flood prediction capacity. B. The District has been considering a levee repair and reconstruction project in the city of Kent at the "Briscoe-Desimone" levee along the east bank of the Green River between S. 200th St. and S. 180th St. These needed levee improvements are urgent and critical. This levee protects a large industrial and commercial area of Kent, Tukwila, and Renton, and 1 Briscoe-Desimone Levee Resolution four reaches do not meet minimum federal levee safety standards. The City takes the safety of its residents and businesses extremely seriously, and that is the primary reason why this work must be conducted immediately. There are approximately 100,000 jobs in the Lower Green River Valley, and they, along with others throughout the region, would be impacted by a flood event. C. The City and King County have developed two separate approaches to repairing and reconstructing this section of levee. The County's proposal to repair the four deficient reaches of this levee contemplates a wider levee setback and is over four times more expensive than the City's proposal (approximately $71 million) due to the amount of;real estate that must be purchased and number of businesses that must be removed. The'County's cost estimate is based on a conceptual plan, which may result in significant fluctuations in the cost estimates as the project proceeds. Additionally, the County has not developed a plan to acquire that funding. The City has developed detailed geoteehnical and hydraulic studies along with 30% design plans for its levee repair and reconstruction proposal. The City's cost estimate to complete the improvements needed to bring this levee up to federal standards is $17, million, including $1 million in new riverbank vegetation for salmon habitat. D. There are three federally listed endangered salmon species which live in the Lower Green River and rely on the riverbank habitat for their survival. The City proposal allows for stream bank planting of native trees and shrubs which will improve the habitat for these fisheries without detrimentally affecting the flood protection provided by the setback floodwall. 2 Briscoe-Desimone Levee Resolution E. There is a $7 million state grant for this project which is set to expire in approximately five months, along with $14 million in District budgeted funds for this levee between 2013 - 2015. F. Because of the discrepancies between the two plans, the District hired a qualified, neutral third party, Dr. Robert B. Gilbert, PhD, P.E., D.GE, from the University of Texas at Austin, to analyze and review both plans. Dr. Gilbert is a nationally recognized expert on levee floodwall design requirements, known for his extensive work analyzing,floodwall issues and failures caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, and for his subsequent involvement as part of a national team to develop new national design standards for floodwall design and construction. : Dr. Gilbert found that both proposals met the most current national design standards. His overwhelming conclusion is that the City's proposal is the most cost effective means to improve the deficient reaches of the levee to meet federal standards as part of the long term; goal of improving the flood protection throughout the Green River Valley. G. On Thursday, February 7, 2013, the District's Executive Committee met i to select a project (proposal, and at this meeting, the Executive Committee recommended to the Flood Control District Board of Supervisors that Kent's„approach was the preferred proposal. NOW THEREFORE,' THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT, WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: 3 Briscoe-Desimone Levee Resolution RESOLUTION SECTION 1. - Findings. The Kent City Council finds as follows: a) The needed Briscoe-Desimone Levee improvements are urgent and critical. b) The City's proposed setback floodwallr is significantly less expensive and can be implemented more quickly than King County's setback levee proposal. c) The City of Kent has a feasible plan to complete the work at the Briscoe-Desimone levee that takes advantage of existing state and District funding. d) The City's design method has been approved by Dr. Robert B. Gilbert, PhD, P.E. D.GE, the District's consultant expert on levees. e) The short term flood protection provided by the City's setback floodwall is comparable to the County's setback levee. f) The benefits to fish provided,by the City's setback flood wall is comparable to the County's setback levee. g) The comparisons made by; Dr. Gilbert and the decision of the District's Executive Committee to recommend Kent's Briscoe- Desimone Levee repair and reconstruction proposal to the District Board of Supervisors is appropriate and correct. SECTION 2. - The City Council endorses the District Executive Committee's decision and concurs that the repairs to the Briscoe-Desimone levee, as recommended by the City of Kent Public Works Department, is the correct and appropriate approach to repair and reconstruct this portion of the Green River levee. 4 Briscoe-Desimone Levee Resolution SECTION 3. - Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its passage. PASSED at a regular open public meeting by the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, this day of 2013. CONCURRED in by the Mayor of the City of Kent this day of 2013. SUZETTE COOKE, MAYOR ATTEST: RONALD F. MOORE,rCITY CLERK APPROVED AS TO FORM: TOM BRUBAKER, CITY ATTORNEY I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of Resolution No. passed by the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, the day of , 2013. RONALD F. MOORE, CITY CLERK 5 Briscoe-Desimone Levee Resolution