HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 11/29/2016 - Memorandum From Jon Haukaas And Ken Sampley Re: Boxelder Creek And Cooper Slough Floodplain Revisions UpdateUtilities
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Fort Collins, CO 80522
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M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: November 17, 2016
TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kevin R. Gertig, Utilities Executive Director
FROM: Jon Haukaas, Operations Manager - Water Engineering & Field Services
Ken Sampley, Water Utilities Engineering Manager
RE: Boxelder Creek and Cooper Slough Floodplain Revisions Update
SUMMARY
The attached letter announces the great news received from the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) with respect to the schedule and processing of the submittal to update the
Boxelder Creek and Cooper Slough floodplains. This will result in a much faster approval
process, likely saving up to one year from the review and appeal period. This request was
approved after FEMA Region VIII staff coordinated with FEMA Headquarters staff and
obtained its concurrence and support. As a result, formal approval of the LOMR and
subsequent adoption of the updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) is anticipated by
May 2018 or perhaps slightly earlier.
It should be noted that FEMA stated their approval of our request to process this submittal as
a LOMR was an unusual circumstance and that large map revisions will not typically be
approved for processing as LOMRs.
Subsequent updates on the Boxelder Creek and Upper Cooper Slough LOMR submittal and
processing will be provided in the monthly BBRSA Board of Directors Meetings.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 42ED8A9F-6171-4A65-9570-124D01E1163D
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Update to Boxelder Creek Floodplain Revisions
November 2016
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SUMMARY
It is our pleasure to announce the great news received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) with respect to the schedule and processing of the submittal to update the Boxelder Creek and
Cooper Slough floodplains. In discussions between the City of Fort Collins and FEMA, it was determined
that the Boxelder Basin Regional Stormwater Authority (BBRSA) may proceed with processing of the
Boxelder Creek and Cooper Slough submittal as a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) instead of a Physical
Map Revision (PMR). This will result in a much faster approval process, likely saving up to one year
or more from the review and appeal period. This request was approved after FEMA Region VIII staff
coordinated with FEMA Headquarters staff and obtained its concurrence and support. As a result,
formal approval of the LOMR and subsequent adoption of the updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps
(FIRMs) is anticipated by May 2018.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide interested parties with an update to the schedule for the
FEMA map revisions along Boxelder Creek and Cooper Slough as a result of the recent construction of regional
stormwater improvements. In the July 2016 update, we indicated that the processing of the
floodplain submittal by FEMA as a PMR and subsequent formal approval of the updated floodplain
was anticipated to be as late as January 2019.
These map revisions have been part of a process started well over I 0 years ago resulting in the
establishment of the Boxelder Basin Regional Stormwater Authority (BBRSA) which was formed in 2008 by
the City of Fort Collins, Larimer County and the Town of Wellington to fund and construct regional
stormwater projects. Since 2012 the BBRSA, has worked closely with the City of Fort Collins and the Town
of Timnath and its Timnath Development Authority (TDA) on additional related regional stormwater
improvements.
1. The East Side Detention Facility (ESDF) is located on the east side of Interstate Highway 25 (I-25)
across from the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The dry detention storage reservoir has recently been
completed by the BBRSA and will temporarily detain up to 1800 ac-ft. of stormwater in an I 00- year
storm event;
2. The Larimer Weld Canal Crossing Structure (LWCCS), a side flow spillway recently completed by the
BBRSA will allow stormwater to flow over the Larimer-Weld Canal in a controlled manner and prevent
overtopping of the canal upstream;
3. The opening of two existing box culverts (previously blocked) under I-25 north of the Prospect Road
interchange by the City of Fort Collins and the Town of Timnath will eliminate the overflow floodplain
on the east side of I-25 flowing toward the Timnath GMA; and,
4. The Boxelder Outfall and Prospect Road Improvements west of I-25 currently nearing completion of
construction by the City of Fort Collins and the Town of Timnath will convey stormwater more efficiently
under Prospect Road. These improvements are targeted for completion in November, 2016.
In early discussions with FEMA it was determined that the floodplain map revisions for these projects
should be one submittal in order to better coordinate the review process through the City of Fort
Collins, Larimer County and FEMA. Accordingly, the Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR)
required by FEMA prior to construction was submitted in this manner in December 2014. With the
recent concurrence and approval of FEMA, the Boxelder Creek and Cooper Slough LOMR will be
DocuSign Envelope ID: 63018566-B3C5-46E6-91EA-C945CD97E763
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submitted to FEMA by May 2017 and earlier if possible. An updated targeted schedule for the LOMR
submittal, review and approval process is attached to this memorandum. Formal approval of the
LOMR and subsequent adoption of the updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) is anticipated by
May 2018. Staff will continue to pursue expedited adoption of the FIRMs earlier in 2018 if possible.
It should be noted that FEMA stated their approval of our request to process this submittal as a
LOMR was an unusual circumstance and that large map revisions will not typically be approved for
processing as LOMRs. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis and require coordination
with FEMA Regional and Headquarters staff. This should be taken into consideration for any future
floodplain revision submittals in our region.
Subsequent updates on the Boxelder Creek and Upper Cooper Slough LOMR submittal and
processing will be provided in the monthly BBRSA Board of Directors Meetings.
Respectfully,
_________________ ____________________ _________________ _______________
Stan A Myers, P.E. Kenneth C. Sampley, P.E. Mark Peterson, P.E. Don Taranto, P.E.
Manager Water Utilities Engr Mgr County Engineer Town Engineer
BBRSA City of Fort Collins Larimer County Town of Timnath
Attachment
DocuSign Envelope ID: 63018566-B3C5-46E6-91EA-C945CD97E763
Boxelder Creek LOMR
Boxelder Creek Floodplain Mapping Update - LOMR Process
Exported on November 1, 2016 3:21:24 PM MDT Page 1 of 1
DocuSign Envelope ID: 63018566-B3C5-46E6-91EA-C945CD97E763