HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 08-15-2000-8b!'
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: August 15, 2000
Action Agenda
Item No. °~ -~
SUBJECT: Prioritization Plan far Distribution of Hurricane Floyd Relief Funds
DEPARTMENT: County Manager/Emergency PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
Management
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Resolution Rod Visser, ext 2300
Nick Waters, ext 3030
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider adopting a resolution setting forth the County's priorities for the
distribution of grant funds to homeowners who suffered property damage in the aftermath of
Hurricane Floyd.
BACKGROUND: County staff have been working with staff of the North Carolina Office of
Emergency Management (NCEM) to assist several property owners in the Heritage Hills
subdivision who suffered significant property damage from flooding in the wake of Hurricane
Floyd in September 1999. Funds are available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
(HMGP) for the government to purchase damaged homes from owners interested in selling
them. The concept of the program is to eliminate buildings from floodplains under the
assumption that the cost of voluntary acquisition will be less than the cost of repairs from
repeated floodings over the years.
Two property owners in Heritage Hills have submitted applications for voluntary participation in
acquisition under the HMGP. The State's Hazard Mitigation Specialist has communicated to
County staff that an additional administrative requirement of the grant program is for the Board
of Commissioners in any affected county to adopt a resolution setting forth the criteria that will
be observed in prioritizing the allocation of grant funds to damaged properties. This
requirement is aimed at ensuring there is some logical rationale for acquiring one property prior
to others, particularly in hard hit areas. While this requirement has little practical impact in
Orange County because there are only 2 applications for the program, adoption of the
resolution is necessary to complete the grant program process. In keeping with a suggestion
from NCEM staff, the primary criterion in Orange County's proposed resolution is depth of
floodwater inside the damaged homes (other criteria could be chosen instead).
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact on the County's General Fund.
Approval of the resolution will assist the two property owners in receiving federal grant funds
should they ultimately decide to accept an offer from the government to purchase their flood -
damaged homes.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adapt the attached
resolution.
Resolution of the Orange County Board of Commissioners
Adopting Prioritization Plan For
Voluntary Acquisition Activities
Through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
For the County of Orange, North Carolina
WHEREAS, the County of Orange intends to obtain HMGP funds in order to conduct a
voluntary property acquisition program to remove residential. properties from the threat of future
flooding that endangers life and property; and
WHEREAS, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act requires that
each HMGP project be cast-effective; and
WHEREAS, it is the finding of the State of North Carolina and the County of Orange that
eliminating exposure to the risk of future flooding is directly related to the cost-effectiveness;
NOW THEREFORE be it resolved by the Board of Commissioners of the County of Orange that
the following methodology be established to prioritize purchasing of residential property from
owners who have expressed an interest in participation in the proposed voluntary acquisition
program and have been included in the HMGP Application for the County of Orange.
METHODOLOGY
Chronology of purchasing property will be based upon an evaluation of the depth of
flooding due to Hurricane Floyd and individual damage surveys for each of the
properties.
Should methodology result in a tie, the following criteria developed from available survey
and any other information will be used to decide upon prioritization of property
purchases:
Located in the Floodway 15 Points
Owner Occupied 5 Points
Wood Frame (includes brick veneer) construction 10 Points
Solid masonry construction 5 Points
Structure built prior to 1982 10 Points
Flood insurance held at time of flooding 5 Points
Special health needs (e.g.: elderly or handicapped) 5 Points
Acquisition offers will be made in chronological and numerical order based upon the
above criteria and priority ranking.
Owner occupied structures will have thirty (30) days to acceptor reject a fiinal offer. If a
property owner fails to accept an offer after the cut-off period, funds will no longer be
reserved for the acquisition request and the offer to purchase will be invalid. Offers will
be made to property owners whose properties were included in the grant program until
all available funds are exhausted.
Adopted this 15th day of August, 2000 lay the Board of Commissioners of the County of
Orange ,North Carolina.
Moses Carey, Jr., Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners
ATTEST:
Clerk to the Board