Placement: Resolutions
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Resolution 23-R86, Ratifying the City Manager’s Execution of the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection Grant Agreement for the City of Port St. Lucie Vulnerability Assessment Update
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Submitted By: Bret Kaiser, NPDES Project Manager, Public Works
Strategic Plan Link: The City’s Mission to plan for smart and balanced growth.
Executive Summary (General Business): Staff requests approval of a resolution ratifying the City Manager’s execution of a grant agreement with the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) facilitating the completion of the City of Port St. Lucie Vulnerability Assessment, which will include a comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment in accordance with Section 380.093, Florida Statutes. FDEP, through the grant agreement, will reimburse the City for a portion of the committee up to $500,000, with a required match of $50,000. The estimated total cost of the project is $550,000, and the City’s match towards the total is anticipated to be budgeted for FY 24/25.
Presentation Information: No presentation will be provided but staff will be available to answer questions.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve the Resolution ratifying the execution of the grant agreement with the FDEP.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve the Resolution ratifying the execution of the grant agreement with the FDEP.
2. Move that the Council not approve the Resolution and provide staff direction.
Background: In August 2021, St. Lucie County (County) completed an initial Vulnerability Assessment Report (County Report). The County Report was developed prior to the enactment of Section 380.093, Florida Statutes. As a result, there are items within the County Report which are not included but are now required by statute. Additionally, there were elements of the City’s critical infrastructure that were not evaluated in the County Report, notwithstanding the City of Port St. Lucie being identified as a stakeholder. The County Report was limited to the areas adjacent to the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, the Indian River Lagoon, and the Atlantic Ocean. The City is approximately 20% in size of the County and 63% of the population of the County. The City adopted a Stormwater Master Plan in 2021 and has existing hydrologic and hydraulic models. These models do not include the statutorily required sea-level rise projections or compound flooding for the vulnerability assessment. The County is in the process of developing these types of models for their service area, but those models do not include the City areas in their analysis. Accordingly, the City is requesting funding to update its existing models to include the requirements of Section 380.93(3)(d)2, F.S. and gather data on the critical assets that were not included in the County Report. This information will provide a more detailed analysis of the critical assets and aid in developing projects for the County's resiliency plan and the City's capital improvement project program. This project will identify the vulnerable assets to aid in developing and prioritizing projects for the next phase of a resiliency plan.
Issues/Analysis: Vulnerability Assessment will be completed by March 2025.
Financial Information: This project is anticipated to be budgeted for FY 24/25.
Special Consideration: Grant agreements typically require that the governing body of the entity entering into the agreement approve it by resolution, or other formal action. Here, no such requirement was set forth in the grant agreement. Per City custom and practice, the ratification of the executed grant agreement is being presented to the City Council for approval.
Location of Project: St. Lucie County, Florida
Attachments:
1. Resolution
2. Grant Agreement 23PLN31
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: Legal Intake 23177-09
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Richard A. Berrios, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.