2013-08-12 Regular City Council Session

Home Browse Search

Ms. Carr stated FEMA was in the business to ameliorate the problems here, and was worth it for the City to look at. Ms. Carr noted that if the structural elevation of the houses were raised above the base level, the values of the houses increase, the cost of flood insurance goes down because the people would now be above the flood plain. She noted that revetment or concreting the river walls would not be needed. Some of the structures on slabs would not have to worry about losing their basement but others might lose basements. Ms. Carr stated there are things that can be done now that should be considered, as there was currently no money for buy-outs. She noted she spoke with Mr. Walker who agreed it would save the City’s tax base and keep the neighborhoods intact. Ms. Carr stated she had asked Mr. Walker if he would put together a RFQ which went out the other day, so the City can obtain a consultant who would help the City find funding grants. She urged her councilmembers to consider supporting this. Mr. Crow agreed that the opportunity to save homes, neighborhoods and residents was worth exploring. He stated that far too often the City has approached the River des Peres as an all are nothing game, either the neighborhood is gone or they stay living in flood conditions. He stated that the City may have an opportunity for some Federal Funding which would allow residents to be in their homes. Mr. Crow hoped the people interested in this would look at the work that has been done in Galveston, Iowa, Jersey Shore, Pacific Mo, and St. Charles, where homes have been lifted and now are still in their home, but above flood plain. Mr. Crow asked for the cost involved and Ms. Carr stated Mr. Ward told her the cost to apply for the grant would be $15,000 and raising the houses would be between $65,000 and $80,000 a square foot based on the foot-print of the house, not the basement or the rooms above. She stated everything can be left in your house when it is lifted. Ms. Carr said skirts are installed around the lifting part with drainage holes, so it looked nice, not just a building up on piers. Those with basements would be rebuilt and others that have damaged basements, their basement may not be any good anyway. Ms. Carr moved to set aside money to obtain a consultant to seek FEMA funds for structural elevation. Mr. Kraft called Point of Order stating that the City spent money according to the 2014 budget and would need a budget resolution to approve money not in the budget. He noted that by consensus of Council could ask Mr. Walker to come back with his RFQ. Mr. Kraft stated it is out of order by Council rules. Mayor Welsch ruled that we do allocate money by a budget resolution so she supported Mr. Kraft’s Point of Order. Mayor Welsch asked Mr. Walker if the City had a grant writer on staff. Ms. Carr appealed the decision of the Chair. Mr. Walker said the City has a grant writer, but given this is a rather specialized area, he thought it may be advisable to continue with the RFQ process and 7