Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Bitter Creek Flood Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council accepts FEMA grant to design Bitter Creek Segment 3; members discuss floodplain limits on downtown redevelopment
Summary
The council approved a FEMA grant agreement to design segment 3 of the Bitter Creek project and discussed how floodplain mapping and prior legislative votes have constrained downtown redevelopment, including the Sears Building.
The Rock Springs City Council on Feb. 18 approved a resolution accepting a grant award agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency to advance design work for the Bitter Creek flood-mitigation project, specifically funding design for Segment 3.
Councilor Hansen moved approval of Resolution 2025-21 and described the council's ongoing effort to secure funds to continue Bitter Creek work and downtown flood mitigation. "With local legislature or recent legislation, I think it's important that we keep trying to get funds and continue with the Bitter Creek project to alleviate the flooding and help take care of the downtown area," Councilor Hansen said.
City staff confirmed the approved grant will fund design for Segment 3 of Bitter Creek. During discussion a councilor asked whether the referenced $463,000 would be used to design the next phase; staff replied the grant will be used to design Segment 3. The council approved the resolution unanimously.
The council spent substantial time on the history and technical limits affecting downtown redevelopment. Mayor Max Mickelson said the original Bitter Creek plan explains design intent and urged staff to make that document available to the public so residents can understand the reasons behind project features. "I read the original sort of plan for Bitter Creek, and it included the background on how it came together and why the recommendations were there and the purposes that they serve," Mickelson said.
City staff and councilors described complications tied to floodplain mapping and building codes that have hindered specific downtown redevelopment efforts. A staff speaker said federal floodplain maps covering downtown do not align with local conditions and that resolving the discrepancy has been difficult; that mismatch and the code-triggered requirements for substantial renovations have limited feasible redevelopment of properties such as the Sears Building.
Council discussion also referenced prior legislative efforts to secure larger project funding: a councilor said a recent state bill that would have provided funding passed initially but then failed after a county representative changed a vote. Council members said that history underscores the need for continued grant-seeking and careful tracking of legislative support for future phases.
Ending: Council directed staff to proceed with design work under the FEMA award and to provide councilors with the original Bitter Creek planning materials and the project's design history so the public can better understand constraints and next steps.
