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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-21-2016-13-5 - Information Item - Memorandum Regarding Rogers Road Community Development Block Infrastructure (CDBG-I) Application INFORMATION ITEM PLANNING & INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT Craig N. Benedict, AICP, Director Administration 131 W. Margaret Lane (919) 245-2575 Suite 201 (919) 644-3002 (FAX) ' I\11^n P. O. Box 8181 www.orangecountync.gov IN))()1Ort I CAR( 11 Hillsborough, NC 27278 imimm om I Ilu� �a j mlm,U Oo�J1%Or��1/lr fllll� 9Ji'"Im�1711rVpyYlrlVlly��yi ' + r iu;w�ix x ����/M Pq 1��1; �. 'm 'w uIIIUrd � 1 �II"1 lug, 4.0 l�umiouuumimu�uiou iy��l 7k i��' "..w 1,00 11,1 MEMORANDUM TO: Board of County Commissioners Bonnie B. Hammersley, County Manager FROM: Craig Benedict, Planning Director DATE: June 1, 2016 SUBJECT: Information Item — Rogers Road Community Development Block Infrastructure (CDBG-I)Application Please accept the following memorandum regarding the Rogers Road Community Development Block Grant application update. Background Orange County is part of a multi-jurisdictional project, along with Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA), to design and construct a sewer collection system to serve the Rogers Road neighborhood. Currently, the County is leading efforts in obtaining the easements from property owners needed for construction and future maintenance of the sewer collection system. The construction and design of the sewer collection system is to be funded by Orange County, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro. In order to offset total costs of the project, the Orange County Planning Department in conjunction with aforesaid partners are preparing a Community Development Block Grant — Infrastructure (CDBG-I) application to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). Previous recommendations from the Historic Rogers Road Task Force to the Board of County Commissioners, Chapel Hill Town Council, and Carrboro Board of Alderman have focused on neighborhood improvements including sewer service to the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood. In addition, a study completed in 2010 by the Orange County Health Department found that many of the existing onsite septic systems were failing. Funds provided from this grant program can be used to connect low to moderate income households to wastewater service where septic systems have failed or likely to fail based on the age of the system and assist in providing critical sewer infrastructure improvements to the Historical Rogers Road Neighborhood. The improvements include the construction of approximately 18,500 linear feet of sewer to approximately 86 developed and undeveloped parcels. Grant applications which are approved and awarded by the State may receive up to $2 million in funds depending on the project cost, funding request, income threshold, and level of distress in the community. The grant program is competitive and does not require a match from the local government. If awarded, this application would lessen the financial cost to the County and Towns for the provision of sewer service to the Rogers Road neighborhood. The County previously submitted a CDBG-I grant application in 2014 which was not awarded as a result of insufficient income data among other criteria. In order to avoid a similar outcome, this application will include income data based on a survey campaign of the project area. This is being conducted in part concurrent with meeting residents during the easement acquisition process. Next Steps Orange County (Martin-McGill Associates as consultants) will proceed with the grant application process over the next several months which will include defining the project area and description, collecting income data, and drafting of the project budget and grant request. A public hearing is planned for the September 6, 2016 Board of County Commissioners meeting regarding this item. A resolution supporting and authorizing the application will also be presented at that time. We anticipate similar letters of support from the Town of Chapel Hill and Town of Carrboro. The final grant application is due to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality on September 30, 2016. If awarded, the County would receive a Letter of Intent to Fund in February 2017.