<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"> <style></style> </head> <body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word"> <div class="WordSection1"> Dear Council Members and Hotline followers,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I am writing regarding this past Tuesday’s City Council meeting and questions about city flood project prioritization. More specifically the attached city document titled “SUMMARY REPORT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY AND RESIDENT FLOOD IMPACT SURVEY AND ANALYSIS SEPTEMBER 2013 FLOOD DISASTER” (Nov. 4, 2014) has been a topic of community interest and questions have been raised about flood project prioritization relative to the distribution and type of financial damages identified in the report. Recent public comment and media opinion pieces have cited the report as justification for lowering the priority of the South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation Project. City staff do not interpret the report the same way and do not reach the same conclusion. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> While we agree that the report is one data point to consider as we assess future work, reprioritizing already planned flood projects or circumventing years of strategic planning solely based on the 2014 damage report would have serious life safety implications. Overall cost of property damage is, of course, one factor in prioritization of flood mitigation projects. Critical life safety and social equity issues, among others, are as important or more so. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> As it relates to South Boulder Creek, the 2014 report would not capture the serious threat to life safety that occurs when US 36 overtops and immediately and dramatically increases flooding to US 36 and downstream neighborhoods in the west valley as it did during the 2013 flood. Using prospective property damage as a sole consideration in flood mitigation would also skew flood projects towards neighborhoods with the highest property value, which would result in the most affluent neighborhoods receiving priority of city flood and stormwater utility resources to the detriment of lower income community members, which also has racial equity implications. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The primary purpose of the city’s Stormwater/Flood Utility is to protect the public health, safety and welfare from stormwater runoff and floods.  We are continuing to review and update our approach to delivering these services with best available practices while also incorporating community values.  We are in the process of updating the Comprehensive Flood and Stormwater Master Plan with a key focus on updating and developing prioritization criteria for flood mitigation projects across the city.  We encourage the public to get involved in this effort and provide feedback. Please visit <a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbouldercolorado.gov%2Fprojects%2Fcomprehensive-flood-and-stormwater-master-plan&data=04%7C01%7CTaddeuccij%40bouldercolorado.gov%7C027b0d1d8831488c1ccb08d950aa91ca%7C0a7f94bb40af4edcafad2c1af27bc0f3%7C0%7C0%7C637629515784663462%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=H5nQEr%2FMVJ7%2FaqEjkWigtIUG5UZJPTey3GMtz%2BEJ31o%3D&reserved=0"> Comprehensive Flood and Stormwater Master Plan | City of Boulder (bouldercolorado.gov)</a>.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Lastly, the South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation project was initiated prior to the 2013 flood and is following city master planning and flood mitigation lifecycle of mapping, mitigation planning and then design and construction.  The current regulatory floodplain mapping was accepted by FEMA in 2010 and a basin-specific master plan was completed for South Boulder Creek in 2015 with the benefit of the 2014 damage information. Years of public process, careful consideration of alternatives and a process of elimination has brought the South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation Project to its current state.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like additional information.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sincerely,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Joe<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Joe Taddeucci, P.E. Director of Utilities (pronouns: He/Him/His) <a href="https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why">What's This?</a><o:p></o:p> <img border="0" width="290" height="54" style="width:3.0208in;height:.5625in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D79050.64C73800"><o:p></o:p> C: (720) 635-6970 <a href="mailto:taddeuccij@bouldercolorado.gov">taddeuccij@bouldercolorado.gov</a><o:p></o:p> Public Works - Utilities Department 1739 Broadway | Boulder, CO 80302 <a href="https://bouldercolorado.gov/">bouldercolorado.gov</a><o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html>