Authorize the execution of two interlocal agreements between the City of Sugar Land and Fort Bend County to coordinate the efforts that each jurisdiction is undergoing as part of the CDBG-MIT Regional Method of Distribution (MOD) applications. The two (2) jurisdictions will use their combined funding for the US 59/IH 69 Evacuation corridors and the Memorial Park Projects.

After the accelerated bank erosion observed on the Brazos River following significant flooding events in 2015, 2016 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the City of Sugar Land (The City) and Fort Bend County commissioned two studies in 2018. These studies concluded that in less than 30 years, continuing erosion of the riverbank might cause loss of human life while threatening residences, City and county infrastructure, roads, levees, parks, and Hurricane Evacuation Routes on Farm to Market Roads, State Highways, and Interstate Highways bridges.
 
As a result of these studies, the City and the County created Project Brazos, a multi-jurisdictional effort to address the causes of riverbank erosion. Project Brazos has identified bank erosion at thirteen (13) of the most critical sites along the Brazos River in Fort Bend County. Two of these critical locations are in the City.

The US 59/IH 69 Evacuation corridors. The erosion at this location is threatening the bridges over the Brazos River and the safe evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents from Galveston and Brazoria Counties during times of high winds and storm surges from hurricanes and tropical storms. The Project is a regional approach with broad support from local, state, and federal stakeholders, including TxDOT, the Brazos River Authority and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) - Galveston District and its Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Memorial Park in Sugar Land. The bank river erosion threatens the park, University Boulevard, Ditch “H,” a municipal fire station, Fort Settlement Middle School, and the residents within the Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District (FBCLID) #14. The erosion at this location is threatening the levee, which protects around 5,000 residents, a municipal fire station, and a middle school. In addition, University Boulevard is a traffic relief route connecting Hurricane Evacuation Routes State Highway 6 and Interstate Highway 69/State Highway 59. In the event of the river levee breaching at Memorial Park.

Fourteen (14) Resolutions and a Letter of Support have been received supporting Project Brazos. Over the past four years, Fort Bend County Drainage District and the City have invested time and money into understanding the problem and developing feasible solutions. This Project employs an environmentally friendly repair using a longitudinal stone dike along the toe of the bank with stone tiebacks constructed at around 200 feet on center to protect the upstream and downstream portions of the repair from being flanked by erosion. This repair method was coordinated with USACE ERDC’s River and Estuarine Engineering Branch. In addition, this repair method promotes revegetation and habitat development and is in accordance with USACE’s “Engineering with Nature and Implementation of Natural and Nature-Based Features” (EWN-NNBF).
 
As part of the State of Texas Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Action Plan, the City is a potential recipient of funding in the amount of $4,063,600.00. On September 6, 2022, the City Council approved resolutions 22-33 and 22-34 to commission Huitt-Zollars Inc. and Public Management Inc. to support city staff during the preparation and submittal of the application for the $4,063,600 allocated to the City by the CDBG-MIT MOD program(s).
 
Since then, city staff has conducted a Public Comments session during the City Council Meeting on October 18, 2022. The public did not supply comments during that meeting. In addition, an Interlocal Agreement between the County and the City to coordinate the efforts that each jurisdiction is undergoing as part of the separate yet connected CDBG-MIT Regional Method of Distribution (MOD) applications will require the City Council’s approval. As has been discussed, the County has been allocated $56,030,000, and the City has been allocated $4,063,600. The two (2) jurisdictions will use their combined funding for the two erosion projects located in the City based on the following breakdown:

• Funding Type:  Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Regional Method of Distribution (MOD)
• Application Deadline: January 9, 2023
• Anticipated Contract Award: June 1, 2023
• Contracting Agency: Texas General Land Office (GLO)
• Duration of Contract : TBD
• Roles and Responsibilities: Fort Bend County will take the lead on both projects, with additional support coming from the City.  The projects do not anticipate the need for acquiring permanent easements or parcels for the project, although temporary construction easements will likely be needed. Both parties will need to establish property ownership and the responsibility of the long-term maintenance of the improvements.  Each jurisdiction will have separate contracts with the GLO and will be subject to the various compliance regulations which govern such contracts.

Staff recommends authorization of two interlocal agreements between the City of Sugar Land and Fort Bend County to coordinate the efforts that each jurisdiction is undergoing as part of the CDBG-MIT Regional Method of Distribution (MOD) applications.  The two (2) jurisdictions will use their combined funding for the US 59/IH 69 Evacuation corridors and the Memorial Park Projects.