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Fenton approves application to FEMA buyout grant for three flood-prone properties
Summary
The board authorized staff to pursue a Flood Mitigation Assistance grant application that could fund voluntary buyouts for three properties identified in the city's draft list; property owners have expressed interest and further appraisal and environmental review will follow.
The City of Fenton authorized staff to move forward with a Flood Mitigation Assistance grant application on Feb. 13 that would fund voluntary buyouts of three properties the city identified as flood-damaged or flood-prone.
Nikki Finkbeiner told the board the application is due March 1 and would require an ordinance to establish the city's authority to apply and to designate the project manager and certified floodplain manager for the grant. The program would fund voluntary property buyouts subject to federal review and local appraisals; staff said all three property owners had expressed interest in participating in the voluntary program.
"This is, as stated, completely voluntary on the side of the property owner," Nikki said. Staff described one parcel as having an EPA release documented and said FEMA and grant administrators would require environmental review and appraisal work before any buyouts could proceed. The parcels discussed include sites referenced in the meeting as parcel 62, 64 and 65 and include commercial addresses in the Riverside Motors / Brannan Marine area and a smaller building at the corner where a former Masco building once stood.
Board members discussed maintenance and long-term management of acquired parcels; staff suggested returning much of the land to a passive, natural state with native plantings to reduce ongoing maintenance costs.
A motion to approve staff moving forward with the grant application was made by Alderman Jokers and seconded by Alderman Lang. The motion carried by voice vote.
Next steps the board discussed are environmental-review steps, appraisals to establish fair market value and a formal ordinance to be adopted to authorize the city's application if staff elects to file the grant request by the March deadline.
