Executive Summary Exhibit A

DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Executive Summary Exhibit A

ExhibitAExecSum

DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

DuPage County is submitting to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) its Community Development Block Grant – National Disaster Resilience

Competition (CDBG-NDR) Phase 2 application, which proposes a project to build resilience in a

region left disproportionally vulnerable by severe flooding in April 2013. The project is targeted

in an area within the Village of Lisle, Illinois, but is designed to be replicable and scalable

throughout the region, state and nation as unregulated development in a floodplain is an issue not

unique to just DuPage County.

To achieve these goals, DuPage County is an integral member of the Northeastern Illinois

Resilience Partnership (Partnership), a multi-jurisdictional, nonpartisan alliance, which also

includes Cook County, the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois. Convened with the

assistance of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and other non-profits in

response to severe, repetitive and chronic flooding in the region, the Partnership intends to pilot,

scale and collaborate on successful resilience building strategies across the region and state.

Northeastern Illinois’ strength lies in the geography and natural assets upon which this

great metropolis was originally established. Located on the divide between the Great Lakes and

Mississippi River watersheds, the region is a key steward of 84% of the country’s freshwater.

This position has ensured its spot as the nation’s central transportation hub, handling 50% of all

rail freight.

Notwithstanding, DuPage County and the region are not without significant stressors.

Chronic and repetitive flooding takes a devastating economic, environmental, and social toll on

residents and businesses. While northeastern Illinois has not experienced a well-known mega-

storm like Hurricane Katrina or Super storm Sandy, small, frequent storms regularly flood

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homes, businesses and communities, in addition to draining polluted runoff into Lake Michigan

and the Mississippi River.

DuPage County is positioned well to drive and implement resilience and contribute to

regional efforts in a way that builds upon existing partnerships and enhances current efforts. The

County is the second largest in Illinois with 932,126 residents. DuPage spans 336 square miles,

39 municipalities and 9 townships. It is home to more than 750,000 jobs, 16 colleges, 7 hospitals,

2 national laboratories, 300 miles of trails and 23,000 acres of forest preserve land.

To improve the livability and resilience of the region, an approach to build the adaptive

capacity of the most vulnerable communities and their populations is necessary. The Partnership

will serve as a model for a network of regional resilience partnerships that will form across the

state, with the aim of sharing lessons learned and advancing best practices. This multi-faceted

regional and local strategic approach, which aims to provide further relief from and future

resistance to flooding, will create and expand employment opportunities, facilitate public and

private investment, enhance overall economic growth, expand recreational options, promote

environmental stewardship, and increase social cohesion. It will foster stronger connections

between and within communities and their residents, particularly vulnerable populations.

To further the regional goals, each member of the Partnership has created pilot projects

within their own jurisdictional boundaries that are scalable throughout the region and state.

Locally, DuPage County has is proposing a Lower East Branch Pilot Project as demonstrated

throughout Exhibits C through G.

Exhibit C: Capacity

DuPage County’s internal capacity to carry out large-scale and innovative projects is

comprehensive, made more so by substantial partnerships throughout both the County and

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greater northeastern Illinois. In particular, the County’s Stormwater Management Department

(SWM) has experience implementing projects of similar to the Lower East Branch Project in

terms of size and scope, including a series of projects along the West Branch DuPage River and

the Klein Creek Flood Mitigation project.

DuPage has leveraged SWM’s expertise by coordinating a Resilience Team, which

includes involvement from five other County departments. The Resilience Team coordinates a

larger countywide Steering Committee that includes participation from municipalities, taxing

districts and nonprofits located and operating throughout DuPage. These groups build upon the

capacity of the regional Partnership by carrying out its approach countywide. The involvement of

County departments, community agencies and entire entities demonstrate a robust cross-

jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary capacity to carry out complex, resilient projects.

Exhibit D: Need

The region as a whole is subject to devastating, repetitive flooding that does not adhere to

watershed or jurisdictional boundaries. Risks from threats and hazards will be exacerbated,

particularly for vulnerable populations, with climatic changes that show patterns of more

extreme periods of weather, already evident in DuPage County and the region. The CDB-NDR

Phase 2 proposal seeks to build resilience in Most Impacted and Distressed (MID) communities

while also addressing Unmet Recovery Needs (URN) relating to housing, infrastructure and

economic revitalization in the target area that is home to a larger proportion of low- to moderate-

income (LMI) families, seniors and elderly populations.

Exhibit E: Soundness of Approach

As DuPage County developed a strategy to increase resilience, it worked extensively with

stakeholders to identify existing needs in local communities. Building upon the qualitative and

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quantitative data collected, the County’s project team, consisting of County staff and consultants,

developed solutions for the East Branch DuPage River Watershed (East Branch Watershed),

including the creation of the Lower East Branch Pilot Project to improve the capacity of the

MID-URN to withstand future extreme weather events. The $49.7 million project would result in

approximately 200 existing structures mapped out of the 100-year floodplain, including a

commercial parcel difficult to develop today. The project also includes in-stream and streambank

restoration for nearly a mile of stream, the creation of 140-acre-feet of wetlands and

improvements to protect the safety, health and well-being of local residents.

Exhibit F: Leverage

DuPage County continues to explore and engage in partnerships across public, private

and nonprofit sectors to secure sustainable and attainable financing for building resilience

throughout the East Branch Watershed. The County has entered into an agreement with

Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), Illinois’ largest utility, to provide a direct financial

commitment to the Lower East Branch Pilot Project, as well as in-kind services to help flood-

proof power stations within the MID-URN. In addition, the County has entered into an

agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to participate in a $3 million study

of the entire DuPage River to identify opportunities to protect and build resilience in vulnerable

areas throughout the greater watershed.

Exhibit G: Long-Term Commitments

DuPage County and the Partnership have already taken steps toward long-term resilience

and are committed to implementing future initiatives regionally and statewide through an initial

five-year plan. In addition, DuPage County has established measurements for success, realized

through attainable programmatic, institutional and behavioral changes that the County and its

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partners are implementing. DuPage County also remains committed to implementing the East

Branch DuPage River Watershed and Resilience Plan (East Branch Resilience Plan), developed

in support of DuPage County’s CDBG-NDR Phase 1 application, as well as sharing best

practices to be scaled throughout the region, state and nation.

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currently being implemented.

Threshold Requirements Exhibit B

ExhibitBThreshold

DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

General Section

As exhibited in the following section, DuPage County’s application is compliant with the

threshold requirements as stipulated by the Notice of Funding Announcement (NOFA) for the

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block

Grant National Disaster Resilience (CDBG-NDR) Competition. The County is also compliant

with incorporated requirements of Section III.C.2 of HUD’s General Section for Fiscal Year

2014 Discretionary Programs.

Eligible Applicant

HUD identified DuPage County as an eligible applicant for CDBG-NDR.

Eligible County

HUD identified DuPage County as an eligible county with a Qualifying Disaster, Illinois

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding (FEMA-DR-4116) in April 2013, which

prompted a Presidential Disaster Declaration under the Stafford Act (PL-113).

Most Impacted & Distressed Target Areas with Unmet Recovery Needs

HUD recognizes DuPage County as most impacted and distressed (MID) because of the

2013 Qualifying Disaster. County entities received a total of nearly $100 million in private and

federal insurance, grants, assistance and loans for property repairs, projects and other mitigation

activities resulting from the disaster. In spite of this assistance, DuPage County still has a gap of

$67.25 million in property acquisition for 269 flood-prone and substantially damaged housing.

Nearly $140 million is necessary for infrastructure projects within the East Branch Watershed

alone.

Unmet Recovery Needs from the Qualifying Disaster remain throughout DuPage County.

DuPage has identified more than 223 homes that meet flood-prone criteria and the Federal

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Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported an additional 108 repetitive loss structures in

DuPage County meeting the substantial damage threshold under NFIP. Using $6 million of $31.5

million in CDBG-DR and all $2.8 million in FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

(HMGP) funds, the County is purchasing a total of 67 properties impacted by the Qualifying

Disaster. A funding gap of an estimated $67.25 million leaves 269 properties either unlivable or

vulnerable to future flooding events. The County allocated the remaining $25.5 million of the

CDBG-DR funds to shovel-ready projects to protect an additional 70 residential structures and

businesses countywide. In the East Branch Watershed alone, the Steering Committee members

identified a minimum of $139.9 million, outside of CDBG-DR and HMGP funds, within the East

Branch Resilience Plan in flood mitigation and drainage projects to improve the watershed’s

capacity for future flooding.

The target area, in particular, has 160 properties that were damaged by the Qualifying

Disaster (Threshold, pp. 1-3). Of these, 37 residential and 3 commercial properties met the 50%

substantial damage threshold requiring them to be elevated or purchased, most of which are

slated for CDBG-DR or HMGP funds. However, 34 residential structures damaged at or above

25% of the property value have outstanding unmet repair needs, including three substantially

damaged homes. An additional $8.5 million to purchase these homes is beyond the existing

CDBG-DR and HMGP funding allocations. Repairing the remaining 89 properties to pre-flood

conditions has little to no resilience value as both historic weather events and future climate

predictions indicate more extreme rainfall frequencies than those recognized in Bulletin 70, the

current standard for design work in Illinois.

The target area also has damage to permanent public infrastructure under FEMA

Category D that remains unrepaired due to inadequate resources and for which no CDBG-DR or

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other funding is available. In the 1960s, the State of Illinois’ Division of Waterways constructed

a berm in the target area to protect an area of 182 homes and 11 businesses up from to a 50-year

flood. Since its construction, these properties experienced significant flooding beyond the berm’s

capabilities in 1972, 1987, 1996, twice in 2008 and last in April 2013, which is compounded by

settling and erosion overtime, as well as increased flow of the East Branch DuPage River due to

development. According to engineer’s estimates (Threshold, pp. 4-18), the berm sustained

$475,605 in damages during the Qualifying Disaster. Further, a 2012 engineering study

estimated it would require $8.5 million to maintain the levee to at 50-year flood protection alone,

which catastrophically failed six times in that same period of time (Threshold, pp. 19-130).

Because maintenance of the berm would only provide a temporary solution for minimal rain

events, existing CDBG-DR resources were not adequate for the project and instead allocated to

other unmet needs throughout the County.

In addition to substantial housing and infrastructure needs, the target area is in need of

economic revitalization. The Qualifying disaster damaged an estimated 17 businesses in Lisle,

three of which were substantial. Some of the businesses are still in need of flood-proofing

repairs. Within the target area, a for-profit, long-term nursing home, Snow Valley Nursing and

Rehabilitation Center, sustained several feet of water on its first floor that prompted an

emergency evacuation via boat of its 51 residents and up to 99 staff members. The facility never

reopened following the Qualifying Disaster, and the property is nearly impossible to redevelop

due to its placement within the 100-year floodplain. In 2005, the facility’s gross revenue was

reported as $2,386,007.

Eligible Activity

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DuPage County certifies that all activities undertaken by the County will comply with the

CDBG-eligible activities found in Section 105(a) of the Housing and Community Development

Act.

Resilience Incorporated

With an expected 20% increase in precipitation due to climate change over the next

century, damages in East Branch Watershed will increase exponentially in amount and frequency

with every storm event. DuPage County is committed to introducing resilient strategies into the

area, including sustainable and resilient infrastructure practices – both traditional and green.

Further, DuPage County’s proposal provides substantial co-benefits to increase social and

economic objectives of the target area consisting of vulnerable populations.

Meet a National Objective

DuPage County certifies that all activities undertaken will meet the CDBG National

Objectives of benefitting low-to-moderate income persons, preventing or eliminating slums or

blight and meeting urgent needs.

Overall Benefit

DuPage County’s proposal benefits 100% of 35.83% low-to-moderate income persons

and households, which is the exception criteria threshold for the County. In addition, this area is

primarily residential and closely representative of the Census tract. Further, the project will aim

to protect the current makeup of the service area.

Establish Tie Back

DuPage County’s proposed commitments in this application tie back directly to the

CDBG-NDR Qualified Disaster. The County’s proposal aims to reduce future risk in the areas

most affected by the Qualified Disaster through a comprehensive project.

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Benefit-Cost Analysis

Please see Attachment F.

One Application per Applicant

While DuPage County collaborated with other eligible application in northeastern

Illinois, this application is DuPage County's only CDBG-NDR Phase 2 application.

CDBG-NDR Applicant Certificates

Please see Attachment C.

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Certifications: Please see Attachment C.

Capacity Exhibit C

ExhibitCCapacity

DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Introduction

DuPage County has nationally recognized programs, departments and partnerships

capable of leading both innovative policy and infrastructure changes. These agencies possess

significant experience managing large federal grants, executing large-scale projects and

coordinating with diverse local stakeholders. The County’s annual budget is $478.4 million, and,

in fiscal year 2014, the County managed $99.9 million in grant funding and $95.5 million in

capital projects, including funding for a series of projects along the West Branch DuPage River

similar in scope to the proposed Lower East Branch Pilot Project.

During CDBG-NDR Phase 1, DuPage County formed a cross-departmental Resiliency

Team, led by SWM and including the County’s Department of Public Works (PW), Department

of Economic Development and Planning (EDP), Division of Transportation (DuDOT),

Community Development Department (CDD), Division of Environmental Concerns and Office

of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (OHSEM). This team coordinates closely

with a larger DuPage County Steering Committee consisting of the DuPage County Health

Department (DHD), Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (FPDDC), DuPage Housing

Authority (DHA), East Branch Watershed municipalities, non-profits including Choose DuPage,

the economic arm of the County, and other community groups who understand vulnerabilities

and building resilience in the region. This team was instrumental in forming the East Branch

Resilience Plan, and will be the guiding agencies in implementing resilient projects, programs

and policies.

General Administrative Capacity

Project Management & Logistics

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Over the past three years, DuPage County has coordinated and managed 11 major capital

projects including a scalable, multi-jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary project is ongoing work

along the West Branch DuPage River. SWM and DuDOT brought together the FPDDC, cities of

Warrenville and Naperville, Community Unit School District 200 (CUSD 200), local business

and homeowners to design and construct more than $15.8 million in flood mitigation, water

quality and roadway improvements.

Beginning in 2012, the West Branch DuPage River Restoration and Warrenville Road

Bridge Replacement projects include flood mitigation, bridge replacement, roadway realignment,

river re-meander, berm creation and river and wetland restoration spanning the cities of

Warrenville and Naperville. In total, the County restored more than 2.9 miles of stream and

wetland; protected 37 residential properties, 3 commercial properties and 1 school from flooding;

expanded the capacity of the bridge; and lengthened the bike path that connects the downtown

Warrenville business district to the north with the McDowell Grove Forest Preserve to the south.

Portions of this project won awards from the Illinois Association of Floodplain and Stormwater

Managers (IAFSM), the American Public Works Association – Illinois Chapter (APWA-IL) and

Chicago Wilderness. Work will conclude at the end of 2015 with monitoring scheduled through

2017.

From design through implementation, DuPage County, the City of Warrenville and

FPDDC staffed seven engineers who were involved in watershed planning, design and

construction, as well as three wetland specialists and ecologists. In addition, an outreach

specialist on staff held public meetings, released media advisories and secured newspapers

articles and ads. In total, the County oversaw five contracts throughout the life of the projects.

Procurement

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DuPage County’s Department of Finance (DOF) assists all County departments in

purchasing goods and services in conformance with Illinois Compiled Statutes, the DuPage

County Purchasing Ordinance, related resolutions of the County Board and administrative

policies. In addition, The County’s Procurement Ordinance exceeds the requirements set forth in

local standards. The County regularly engages in construction contracts through a competitive

bidding process for drainage, wastewater, stormwater and transportation projects.

Further, SWM, DuDOT, PW and the County’s Facilities Department recently launched a

more restrictive professional services procurement process to ensure transparency and alignment

with the County’s objectives of selecting the lowest, responsive bidder. The DuPage County

Board approved an ordinance for professional services procurement requiring firms to be pre-

qualified either by federal, state or local standards. Since the ordinance went in effect in 2014,

the County has demonstrated increased diversity in selections by prequalified 79 firms for

categories unique to DuPage County, posted 70 opportunities and awarded 53 firms with

contracts totaling $7.76 million.

Contract Management

DuPage County has the ability to manage complex professional service and construction

contracts in-house with highly qualified technical staff. SWM is currently engaged in five

construction contracts totaling $18.52 million for the ongoing West Branch DuPage River and

Klein Creek flood mitigation projects. These projects also required seven professional services

contracts totaling $1.77 million for design, engineers and construction oversight. Two of the

professional engineers on staff oversaw all of these contracts.

Financial Management

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The Community Development Department administers the CDBG programs, HOME

Investment Partnerships Program grant, Emergency Solutions Grant and Neighborhood

Stabilization Program. Currently, Community Development is administering more than $31.5

million in CDBG-DR funding from the Qualifying Disaster in partnership with SWM, PW and

local municipalities. DuPage County is timely in its obligation of funds, expenditures for all

grants, project completion and reporting.

Accountability, Quality Control, Monitoring & Internal Audit

Activities funded by this grant will be carried out by County staff or by contractors under

the supervision of County staff. DuPage County currently administers various HUD programs

including CDBG, CDBG-DR HOME Investment Partnerships Program grant (HOME),

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Neighborhood Stabilization Program. DuPage County is

timely in its obligation of funds, expenditures for all grants, project completion, and reporting.

HUD has monitored the County’s CDBG and HOME programs in the last four years. The

County successfully administered and closed out both the CDBG-R program and the

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program.

Both Illinois State law and local ordinances requires the County to publish a complete set

of financial statements presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles

(GAAP) within six months of the close of each fiscal year. The Comprehensive Annual Financial

Report (CAFR) is a summary of the County’s fiscal affairs. Since 1987, DuPage County has

received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting award for its

CAFR from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

The County’s CAFR is audited by independent entities as a means to ensure accurate

quality assurance for its obligation of funds, expenditure of grant funding, and reporting. The

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DuPage County Auditor, an independently elected officer, is responsible for evaluating and

reporting on County operations. The County auditor conducts internal audits of the operating

departments, systems, and internal controls in County government and maintains a hotline for

report of fraud, abuse, and/or mismanagement.

An external auditor also audits these programs each year. An independent certified public

accountant also conducts the Single Audit, or OMB A-133 audit, as DuPage County expends

$500,000 or more of federal assistance received for its operation in one year. The purpose of the

Single Audit is to provide assurance to the federal government as to the management and use of

federal assistance by the County.

Rapid Program Design & Launch

DuPage County Stormwater Management maintains list of flood-prone properties

identified either by proximity to floodplain or within a watershed plan. The County’s Voluntary

Flood-Prone Buyout Program currently lists more than 200 eligible properties for purchase,

which positions the County well for quick implementation of the proposed program and

necessary adjustments in accordance depending on the type of available funds. In the past 25

years, DuPage County has purchased 101 properties with an additional 67 currently being

processed. Professional engineers on staff manage and maintain the program.

Evaluating Project or Program Outcomes

Following a capital project, DuPage County engages in ongoing monitoring of the project

to ensure outcomes are reached. For instance, SWM constructed a berm along the West Branch

DuPage River to protect an elementary school following catastrophic flooding in 2010. The

County was able to fully realize the desired outcomes were reached when the Qualifying Disaster

hit just six months following completion of the project and the flood control structure did not

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breach. Regular monitoring and inspections on this and similar sites ensure the integrity of the

projects remains intact.

Technical Capacity

Risk, Impacts & Vulnerability Assessment

DuPage County and the Partnership collaborated with research institutions, such as

Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) and the Midwestern Regional

Climate Center throughout CDBG-NDR Phase 1. These agencies have experience collecting and

analyzing climate science data, including modeling and downscaling, and have conveyed

knowledge of possible future conditions, risks, benefits and outcomes to the Partnership.

Additionally, DuPage County has engaged higher education institutions, including the College of

DuPage (COD) and University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), to assist with initiatives to reduce

vulnerabilities in response to climate change, including flood forecasting and green infrastructure

modeling.

Management of Project Design

DuPage County has vast experience in managing project design, particularly capital

projects. Over the past 5 years, the County has overseen design for 16 projects. An example

similar to the CDBG-NDR project scope and complexity is the recently completed Klein Creek

Flood Mitigation Project, which is designed to hold approximately 300 million gallons of

floodwater in the dual-reservoir pump system. SWM’s professional engineers oversaw the design

of the project that also incorporates sustainable landscaping both in an out of the reservoirs in

addition to the engineering components.

Site, City & Regional Planning

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DuPage County and the Partnership have vast experience developing and implementing

comprehensive plans. In 2010, CMAP developed GO TO 2040, the region’s comprehensive plan.

CMAP has also conducted land use, transportation and economic development planning and

zoning assistance for over 140 local communities in northeastern Illinois. Locally, DuPage

County’s comprehensive planning efforts have involved significant stakeholder engagement

across multiple sectors, including inter-jurisdictional watershed plans that mitigate for the effects

urbanization on stormwater runoff and the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, a multi-hazard plan

addressing floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and winter and ice storms.

Flood Insurance & Floodplain Management

DuPage SWM has the legislative authority to engage in regional watershed planning,

floodplain mapping, regulatory guidance and flood mitigation and water quality projects.

DuPage County has watershed plans created for 60% of the County with a staff including 11

engineers and 7 water quality specialists and ecologists, currently studying another nine

watersheds. In addition, the Countywide Stormwater Management and Floodplain Ordinance

(Ordinance) – updated in 2013 and adopted by 37 municipalities – sets strict best management

practices standards of 1.5:1 detention requirements for new and re-development.

Further, DuPage County is a Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) with FEMA for

floodplain mapping. The first county in the State of Illinois to reach this agreement, County staff,

including 2 engineers and 2 GIS specialists, works with ISWS and Illinois Emergency

Management Agency (IEMA) to revise FEMA’s floodplain maps to ensure accurate

representation countywide for flood insurance purposes. FEMA released the DuPage County

preliminary maps in 2015 to a record number of more than 100 attendees at the public meeting.

Insurance Industry Issues

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In total, DuPage County has 4,101 active NFIP policies with nine municipalities

participating in FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS) program. DuPage SWM and PW has

worked closely with IDNR by providing research which led to the development of the Urban

Flooding Awareness Act, which addresses the financial gap left by private insurers in the event

of basement backups. The study found that 41% of overall disaster loss from all hazards, or $2.5

billion in flood loss, occurred within the last 50 years. Yet, NFIP payments have totaled just

under $500 million since 1978, leaving a significant gap between insured and uninsured losses.

As a result, the Partnership has begun working with non-profit partners, such as the Center for

Neighborhood Technology (CNT), to coordinate with insurance experts to fill in these much-

needed gaps.

Green Infrastructure Planning & Implementation

DuPage County is proud to be leading the way on multiple sustainability fronts and to be

the first county in the State of Illinois to have won the Governor's Sustainability Award in 2011.

A component of that success has been both internal and external countywide green infrastructure

planning and implementation. The County recently completed a campus sustainability plan that

identifies green infrastructure opportunities outside of the existing green roof, rain garden and

bioswales on the campus. Further, SWM’s water quality staff offers planning expertise to

communities undergoing green infrastructure planning. SWM staff is working with the villages

of Villa Park and Downers Grove on both residential and downtown green infrastructure

planning and design utilizing CDBG-DR funds allocated to implementation of Villa Park’s

concepts.

Pre-Development Site Preparation

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SWM oversees the DuPage County Countywide Stormwater and Floodplain Ordinance

(Ordinance), which establishes best management practices for development and redevelopment

projects of more than 2,500 square feet of impervious area. The Ordinance also provides

guidelines overseeing stormwater permitting alongside building permitting in the County’s

Building and Zoning Division.

Property Disposition

When appropriate, DuPage County may transfer properties among public agencies. While

the acquired properties are typically deed-restricted to remain as open space when purchased

with FEMA funds, occasionally DuPage County uses allocated capital funds to purchase

properties, this property is likely to be retrofitted with detention or green infrastructure projects

and deeded to the agency is best suited for long-term maintenance responsibilities.

Leveraged & Mixed Financing

DuPage County has had great success in leveraging County funds to secure grants and

other funding for its capital projects. For the West Branch DuPage River Restoration and

Warrenville Road Bridge Replacement Project, which totaled more than $15.8 million, the

County leveraged $6.95 million in bonds and capital funds to secure the rest of the funds. The

County secured an additional $3.73 from Federal Highway Surface Transportation Grant

Program, $1.37 million from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), $300,000

from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), nearly $500,000 from the City of

Warrenville and in-kind services from Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and

Community School District 200. The final phase of this project also utilized $2.8 million in

CDBG-DR funds.

Acquisition & Disposition of Real Estate

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SWM manages and maintains a Voluntary Flood-Prone Property Buyout Program and

list, which is traditionally comprised of residential properties. In addition, the County recently

purchased a commercial structure, using IDNR funds, to make room for the Warrenville Road

Bridge Replacement in conjunction with the West Branch DuPage River re-meander.

Redevelopment, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction of Structures & Property

DuPage County provides permitting review for redevelopment, rehabilitation and

reconstruction projects through the established Stormwater and Floodplain Ordinance. Private

partners engaging in these projects are responsible to provide the technical capacity involving the

necessary tasks.

Ecological Restoration

DuPage County has an extensive background of multi-disciplinary work, regularly

engaging the support of public agencies, such as FPDDC, and local non-profits to meet broad

water quality initiatives that achieve multiple benefits within projects for local communities. An

example of this is the Churchill Woods Dam Modification on the East Branch DuPage River in

the Village of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup, a convening

organization focusing on the quality of DuPage’s streams and rivers, identified this project,

which prompted the County and FPDDC to modify the dam and restore surrounding wetlands on

the FPDDC’s property as an alternative to more costly gray-infrastructure enhancements. This

project helped achieve water quality standards, improved aquatic habitat and created more

capacity for floodwaters. The area also became a highly attractive recreational destination in

DuPage County and is a topic of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

education administered by both SCARCE, a local educational non-profit, and the County.

Accessing Operating & Investment Capital

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DuPage County has long-standing experience accessing operating and investment capital

as evidenced through the amount of funds dedicated to capital projects. In 2014, the County

managed $95.5 million in capital projects. SWM has a dedicated operating and maintenance

budget of $ $2,714,816 annually for its 17 major flood control facilities.

Accessing Technical Feasibility & Value Engineering

DuPage County has nearly 20 staff engineers well versed in industry design and

construction standards, as well as federally recognized B for major infrastructure projects. With

every major infrastructure project, the County assesses its value before deciding upon a preferred

alternative. In the watershed planning process, SWM uses a planning BCA model (DEC2) that

analyzes both structural and non-structural property damages. A typical watershed plan lists

various projects reviewed for feasibility and BCA. The preferred alternative will have a

combination of the highest BCA (1.0 minimum) and largest number of co-benefits.

Community Engagement & Inclusiveness

Regional & Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

Elaborated on in Exhibit A (pp. 1-2), DuPage County is an integral member of the

regional Partnership on resilience. During CDBG-NDR Phase 1, the Partnership convened 10

regional meetings with stakeholders representing 79 organizations, including 27 non-profit and

community based organizations, 24 public sector agencies, 19 businesses, 6 research institutions

and 3 local foundations. In CDBG-NDR Phase 2, the Partnership met with 40 new organizations

on top of the 170 that had been engaged in Phase 1. This serves as a model for similar regional

working relationships throughout the State of Illinois and nationwide. Further, CMAP is

convening a regional group of experts to assist in a policy paper for their upcoming regional

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plan. The focus is creating communities that are more resilient to withstand a plethora of shocks

and stresses.

Community Engagement & Outreach

Leading DuPage County’s community engagement efforts is SWM’s Communications

Coordinator. Traditionally, DuPage County engages stakeholders as part of their watershed

planning process. Stakeholders include other government agencies, natural resources partners,

major landholders and residents. For CDBG-NDR Phase 1, Stormwater Management staff

collaborated with CDD to reach vulnerable populations, including low-to-moderate or fixed-

income households, elderly, minority and non-accessible residents. These populations were

reached through extensive outreach of more than 80 non-profit organizations, surveys with

nearly 700 respondents and 6 direct community meetings. The data collected at these meetings

helped the County develop its East Branch Resiliency Plan. The regional Partnership’s

commitment to long-term resiliency planning will provide an opportunity for further consultation

and consideration of input from all community members.

Project Coordination with Key Implementing Stakeholders

DuPage County regularly works with stakeholder groups during the development of

watershed plans. During plan implementation, groups are encouraged to become citizen

advocates, apply for funding for sustainable projects and become involved with maintaining the

watershed. DuPage County, FPDDC, The Conservation Foundation (TCF) and other entities are

currently in the process of working with a stakeholder group consisting of nearly 100 members

in the County’s Spring Brook #1 Watershed to implement residential green infrastructure

projects in conjunction with major restoration work aimed at revitalizing the watershed and

22

reducing localized flooding. The County would follow the Spring Brook #1 Watershed model

during the implementation of the Lower East Branch Project.

Consultation & Stakeholder Involvement throughout the Life of a Project

Following the Qualifying Disaster, the County organized community members to

distribute disaster recovery funding appropriately, including HUD and FEMA allocations. Based

on the solicitation of community members, the County is using CDBG-DR and HMGP funding

for local repairs, buyouts and flood mitigation projects, such as the Klein Creek Flood Mitigation

Project in the Village of Carol Stream. Many of the low-to-moderate income homes adjacent to

this project are split-level properties that have lost livability on the main level due to repeated

flooding. Local residents and elected officials became strong advocates of this project over

several years of permitting setbacks. Combined with $2.8 million from a 2010 DuPage County

bond, the County recently completed work on a dual-reservoir system to alleviate flooding in this

vulnerable area.

Productive Partnerships & Meeting Management

DuPage County convenes engineers from municipalities countywide on a monthly basis

to serve as a working group. The responsibilities of the working group are to guide ordinance

revisions, policy and best practices. Leading the group are members selected by an internal

election, as well as County staff coordinating productive and beneficial meetings for its

members, particularly with continuing education credits allowed.

Existing Management Structure

A Chairman and 18-member County Board lead the DuPage County government. At the

staff level, a Chief of Staff oversees 10 departments. Instrumental in expending CDBG-NDR

funds will be SWM and CDD and their respective staff positions, as well as DuDOT and PW.

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The capacity to implement the Lower East Branch Pilot Project is not dependent on any partners,

but is strengthened by DuPage County’s continued involvement in the regional Partnership, as

evidenced through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from CDBG-NDR Phase 1

(Attachment A, pp. 10-13), and an agreement with the Village of Lisle (Attachment A, pp. 2-9).

Key Staff

Chief Project Engineer, DuPage County Stormwater Management, Design and Permitting

Oversight

Project Engineer, DuPage County Stormwater Management, Construction Oversight

Senior Civil Engineer, DuPage County Stormwater Management, Buyout Program

Communications Supervisor, DuPage County Stormwater Management, Communications

and Outreach

Water Quality Supervisor, DuPage County Stormwater Management, Stream Restoration

Wetland Supervisor, DuPage County Stormwater Management, Vegetation

Administrator, Community Development Department, Grant Expenditures

Organization Chart

An organizational chart with all entities is included below.

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References

DuPage County welcomes HUD to speak with partners regarding projects similar in

scope to the proposed Lower East Branch Pilot project, specifically the City of Warrenville,

Illinois for the West Branch DuPage River work and Village of Carol Stream, Illinois for the

Klein Creek Flood Mitigation Project.

City of Warrenville Mayor David Brummel, 28W701 Stafford Place, Warrenville, IL

60555, davidbrummel@warrenville.il.us, 630.393.5741

Village of Carol Stream Mayor Frank Saverino, 500 North Gary Avenue, Carol Stream,

IL 60188, fsaverino@carolstream.org, 630.665.7050

IAFSM also recognized portions of the West Branch DuPage River work as the 2015

Flood Reduction Project of the Year. Documentation from the awards ceremony can be found in

Attachment A (p. 1).

Northeastern Illinois Resilience

Partnership

Citizens

DuPage County Board

Chief of Staff

Public Works Department

Stormwater Management Department

Division of Transportation

Community Development Department

25

Need Exhibit D

ExhibitDNeed

DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Unmet Recovery Need & Target Geography

Introduction

On April 17 and 18, 2013, Northeastern Illinois saw widespread rainfall totals of 5.55

inches over a 24-hour period, according to data measured at O’Hare International Airport.

However, the central and eastern portions of DuPage County were hit with more than 7 inches of

rain during that period with the heaviest coming down in a 15-hour window. During the storm,

the East Branch DuPage River topped out at 17.79 feet, which is 7 feet above its normal level at

Butterfield Road. At Ogden Avenue in Lisle, St. Joseph Creek, a tributary to the East Branch, hit

14.98 feet, which is 10 feet above its normal level and four feet above the previous record. Salt

Creek in the eastern portion of the County peaked at 657.25 feet in Oak Brook, more than 9 feet

above normal. The County contained an estimated nearly 4 billion gallons of floodwater from

reaching communities in the Salt Creek Watershed due largely to the Elmhurst Quarry Flood

Control Facility and other large reservoirs in the Watershed. However, the East Brach Watershed

has minimal flood control structures, and riverine flooding caused extensive flooding to homes,

businesses and public infrastructure throughout the East Branch Watershed and the entire County

with 579 NFIP claims submitted to FEMA. The extent of sewer backups also prompted extensive

private insurance claims from properties outside of the floodplain that provoked an

unprecedented lawsuit – later dropped – from Farmers Insurance naming nearly 200

northwestern Illinois communities, including DuPage. The basis for the suit was that these public

agencies were aware of the risk, but did not mitigate for it.

Overall Geography

Communities throughout DuPage County experienced impacts from the Qualifying

Disaster with damage to private homes and businesses, public infrastructure and buildings and

26

environmental degradation. FEMA approved 5,543 individuals for nearly $16 million in

individual assistance (IA) throughout the County. Public agencies accounted for an additional

$2.8 in eligible FEMA public assistance (PA). In addition, FEMA paid out $19,797,124 in NFIP

claims resulting from the Qualifying Disaster, which does not include the more than $16 million

in private insurance claim payouts for properties outside of the 100-year floodplain. In the State

of Illinois, the past half century has produced $2.5 billion in flood loss – 41% of overall disaster

loss from all hazards – but total NFIP payments since 1978 total just under $500 million leaving

a significant gap between insured and uninsured losses. The U.S. Small Business association

paid out more than $10.9 million in disaster loans from the Qualifying Disaster to account for

this gap.

Although the Qualifying Disaster caused damages countywide and throughout the region,

the extent of damage was not distributed proportionally. An approximate 68% of payouts and

61.6% of IA claims were from East Branch Watershed municipalities. In addition, the County

mapped the 9,048 damage reports made to municipalities immediately following the disaster.

Combined with PA, IA and NFIP claims, this map reaffirmed that the East Branch Watershed

was left the most vulnerable area within the County because of the Qualifying Disaster. Further,

the East Branch Watershed does not have any major flood control facilities or forecast-modeling

systems in place for protection unlike the Salt Creek Watershed, which has three major flood

control facilities.

The East Branch Watershed drains approximately 75 square miles within the central

portion of the County and 7 square miles within Will County to the south. From its headwaters in

the Village of Addison, the East Branch DuPage River flows south approximately 24 miles

through residential, commercial and recreational areas. The East Branch Watershed encompasses

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portions of Addison, Bloomingdale, Bolingbrook, Carol Stream, Darien, Downers Grove,

Glendale Heights, Glen Ellyn, Lisle, Lombard, Naperville, Oak Brook, Westmont, Wheaton and

Woodridge. Approximately 233,000 DuPage County residents live within the boundaries of the

watershed.

Target Area (MID-URN)

While DuPage County intends to invest in improving the resilience of the East Branch

Watershed as a whole, the breadth of the area did not wholly exhibit vulnerabilities that qualify

under CDBG-NDR. To evaluate vulnerability, the County mapped low- to moderate-income

households based on Census data and overlaid that with the existing damage report map to

identify areas extremely vulnerable to the Qualifying Disaster. The top three areas identified

were within the Villages of Lisle (Census tract 8460.04), Downers Grove (Census tract 8448.02)

and Glen Ellyn (Census tract 8442.01). To assess the extent of future vulnerability, the County

mapped the 100-year floodplain and areas of known repetitive flooding problems, as well as

social vulnerability indicators such as per capita income, age, poverty levels and crowded

housing units. The area in Lisle is almost wholly within the 100-year floodplain because of its

proximity to the confluence of the East Branch DuPage River and St. Joseph Creek. In addition,

the area had the highest overall social vulnerability of the three, according to the Center for

Disease Control’s (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), including ranking in the 96th

percentile for persons aged 65 or older at 26.4% of the population and the 92nd percentile for

housing structures with 10 or more units at 41.1%.

Unmet Recovery Needs

Unmet Recovery Needs from the Qualifying Disaster remain throughout DuPage County.

DuPage has identified more than 223 homes that meet flood-prone criteria and FEMA reported

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an additional 108 repetitive loss structures in DuPage County meeting the substantial damage

threshold under NFIP. Using $6 million of $31.5 million in CDBG-DR and all $2.8 million in

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds, the County is purchasing 67

properties impacted by the Qualifying Disaster. A funding gap of an estimated $67.25 million

leaves 269 properties either unlivable or vulnerable to future flooding events. The County

allocated the remaining $25.5 million of the CDBG-DR funds to shovel-ready projects to protect

an additional 70 residential structures and businesses countywide. In the East Branch Watershed

alone, the Steering Committee members identified a minimum of $139.9 million, outside of

CDBG-DR and HMGP funds, within the East Branch Resilience Plan in flood mitigation and

drainage projects to improve the watershed’s capacity for future flooding.

The target area, in particular, has 160 properties that were damaged by the Qualifying

Disaster (Threshold, pp. 1-3). Of these, 37 residential and 3 commercial properties met the 50%

substantial damage threshold requiring them to be elevated or purchased, most of which are

slated for CDBG-DR or HMGP funds. However, 34 residential structures damaged at or above

25% of the property value have outstanding unmet repair needs, including three substantially

damaged homes. An additional $8.5 million to purchase these homes is beyond the existing

CDBG-DR and HMGP funding allocations. Repairing the remaining 89 properties to pre-flood

conditions has little to no resilience value as both historic weather events and future climate

predictions indicate more extreme rainfall frequencies than those recognized in Bulletin 70, the

current standard for design work in Illinois.

The target area also has damage to permanent public infrastructure under FEMA

Category D that remains unrepaired due to inadequate resources and for which no CDBG-DR or

other funding is available. In the 1960s, the State of Illinois’ Division of Waterways constructed

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a berm in the target area to protect an area of 182 homes and 11 businesses up from to a 50-year

flood. Since its construction, these properties experienced significant flooding beyond the berm’s

capabilities in 1972, 1987, 1996, twice in 2008 and last in April 2013, which is compounded by

settling and erosion overtime, as well as increased flow of the East Branch DuPage River due to

development. According to engineer’s estimates (Threshold, pp. 4-18), the berm sustained

$475,605 in damages during the Qualifying Disaster. Further, a 2012 engineering study

estimated it would require $8.5 million to maintain the levee to at 50-year flood protection alone,

which catastrophically failed six times in that same period of time (Threshold, pp. 19-130).

Because maintenance of the berm would only provide a temporary solution for minimal rain

events, existing CDBG-DR resources were not adequate for the project and instead allocated to

other unmet needs throughout the County.

In addition to substantial housing and infrastructure needs, the target area is in need of

economic revitalization. The Qualifying disaster damaged an estimated 17 businesses in Lisle,

three of which were substantial. Some of the businesses are still in need of flood-proofing

repairs. Within the target area, a for-profit, long-term nursing home, Snow Valley Nursing and

Rehabilitation Center, sustained several feet of water on its first floor that prompted an

emergency evacuation via boat of its 51 residents and up to 99 staff members. The facility never

reopened following the Qualifying Disaster, and the property is nearly impossible to redevelop

due to its placement within the 100-year floodplain. In 2005, the facility’s gross revenue was

reported as $2,386,007.

Most Impacted and Distressed Characteristics

HUD recognizes DuPage County as most impacted and distressed because of the

Qualifying Disaster. County entities received a total of nearly $100 million in private and federal

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insurance, grants, assistance and loans for property repairs, projects and other mitigation

activities because of the disaster. Nonetheless, a gap of $67.25 million in property acquisition for

269 flood-prone and substantially damaged housing exists. Nearly $140 million is necessary for

infrastructure projects within the East Branch Watershed alone.

East Branch Watershed municipalities reported 6,239 – or 69% – of the 9,048 damaged

homes and businesses immediately following the flood. According to CDBG-NDR Phase 1

survey of approximately 700 East Branch Watershed residents, 64.79% experienced property

damage from the Qualifying Disaster and it displaced nearly 20%, including 30% of Lisle

respondents, from their home or business. Lisle residents comprised 24.8% of the countywide

damage reports as well.

In particular, LMI households have greater potential for disruption if homes are damaged

or uninhabitable. In the target area, more than 50% of the homes fall at or above 35.83% LMI

concentration, DuPage County’s LMI threshold under its exception criteria. In addition, the

Qualifying Disaster damaged 20% of homes in Census Tract 8460.04.

Resilience & Revitalization Needs

In DuPage County, an estimated 3,235 structures lie in the approximate 18,757 acres of

100-year floodplain. In the target area, or MID-URN, approximately 200 homes and 2 businesses

are in the floodplain. The infrastructure protecting these structures is flawed by today’s standards

and completely inept at providing protection against future trends. Based on the Midwest

Regional Climate Center and Illinois State Climatologist’s 2014 National Climate Assessment,

northeastern Illinois is expected experience as much as a 20% increase in precipitation during the

winter, spring and fall over the next century. The Qualifying Disaster resulted in substantially

damaged homes. If no changes occur, the next disaster could put 53 homes currently at 25%

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damage over the substantial damage threshold, and the one after that could affect the remaining

85 homes. The loss in property tax would be substantial on the Village. Further, an estimated

6.35 acres of commercial property is undeveloped today because of proximity to the floodplain.

Transportation system disturbances during the Qualifying Disaster also had a

disproportionate economic disruption on East Branch Watershed households. Nearly 48% of

survey respondents said road closures during the Qualifying Disaster affected their ability to get

to work with 45% signifying this may have led to lost wages. The impacts of the Qualifying

Disaster on major roads in the target area resulted in delayed response time in providing

emergency services, impaired access to homes and businesses, lost economic activity and

damage to roadway infrastructure.

Power outages regularly contribute to transportation issues at traffic lights, as well as

impacts to homes and businesses. The Qualifying Disaster resulted in thousands of outages

throughout the region, some for extended periods. These outages are due to antiquated systems,

vulnerable substations, increased extreme weather and growing populations.

Social Needs

To evaluate the human impact of these damages and disturbances, DuPage County OEM

examined the substantial influx in emergency calls countywide made during the period of April

17 and 18, 2013, which represent a particularly burdened subset of the population who needed

emergency evacuation, health attention or had other stresses beyond property damage. In the

MID-URN, the Qualifying Disaster rendered 37 homes substantially damaged according to

FEMA standards and left another 41 homes with more than 25% damage, leaving them

vulnerable to damage that cannot be corrected without addressing the substantial damage

threshold. Exasperating social impacts of flooding is the fact that flood-prone homes have

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substantial mold problems that can lead to asthma and other respiratory disorders. Further, no

foot evacuation routes exist in this area. Illinois Route 53 is the major vehicle evacuation route

for the MID-URN. However, during the Qualifying Disaster, water overtopped this roadway

shutting it down and making it inaccessible for evacuation.

Disproportionally affected by disaster are the 26.4% people within the MID-URN aged

65 and older, whom are often more vulnerable to disasters due to factors such as fixed incomes,

limited accessibility and social disconnect from society. During the Qualifying Disaster,

emergency personnel had to evacuate via boat the 51-bed Medicaid- and Medicare-approved

Snow Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center the MID-URN. Snow Valley was a needed

service in the MID-URN area as demonstrated by their application to the State of Illinois to

expand its facilities to 126 beds in 2007 and projected increase of 16.7% by 2010 for persons

aged 65 and older. Further exacerbating the need, the nursing home was declared substantially

damaged by the flood and was demolished in the spring 2015. Due to the floodplain limitations,

redevelopment of the site as a nursing home facility may be impossible.

Despite the three large forest preserves, countless parks and the nationally recognized

Morton Arboretum within the East Branch Watershed, regional trails and connecting paths are

limited. Within the Village of Lisle, no walking or bike path connects the mere 1.8-mile span

from the Lisle Metra train station to the Morton Arboretum to the northwest, which was of

concern to several survey respondents. Further, more than 95% of survey respondents within the

East Branch Watershed signified walkability of their community was at least somewhat

important to them. Mirroring this sentiment, nearly 98% responded that parks and recreational

amenities played a factor in their quality of life.

Environmental Needs

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Other environmental needs exist within the Watershed, notably concerning water quality

of the East Branch DuPage River. With the exception of one stretch of the river improved by the

Churchill Woods Dam Removal Project (Exhibit C, p. 20), the EPA wholly classified the East

Branch DuPage River as impaired. Contributing factors to this degradation include non-point

source pollution, streambank erosion and in-stream sediment. During the 1960s berm

construction in the MID-URN, the State of Illinois straightened and reduced the width of the

channel, causing several ecological implications such as reduced aquatic species and eroded

streambank.

An important component contributing to or hindering water quality is the presence of

wetlands. Between 2004 and 2009, an estimated 62,300 acres of wetlands were lost in the

conterminous United States. The ecological benefits of both large and small wetlands include

slowing and removing pollutants from stormwater runoff, providing crucial habitat for wildlife,

and recharging groundwater. DuPage County recently mapped wetlands countywide and found

that only about 4% of the East Branch Watershed is wetland. This constitutes a loss of nearly

86% from estimates of pre-settlement wetland area. Maintaining and restoring existing wetlands

as well as creation of new wetlands is critical in order to maximize the benefits the wetlands can

provide to the watershed. Although DuPage County and FPDDC have completed wetland

restoration projects in the East Branch watershed, much work remains given to the high rate of

historic wetland loss in this watershed.

Resilience Needs within Recovery Needs

Resilience Policies

As expanded upon previously in Exhibit D, the Qualifying Disaster resulted in a

minimum of $65.5 million in countywide damages based on federal and private insurance claims

34

and other assistance. Further, it damaged 20% of homes in the MID-URN, many of which

remain unrepaired. If the Lower East Branch Pilot Project were scaled throughout the County

prior to the Qualifying Disaster, potentially no structures would have incurred damage from

riverine flooding. At a minimum, this would have saved the federal government nearly $20

million in NFIP payouts. In the MID-URN alone, the Lower East Branch Pilot Project would

save an estimated $5.7 to $8.8 million in damages each time a 100-year flood or above occurred,

as outlined in the BCA (Attachment F).

Alternatively, development in the floodplain could be mitigated solely through buyouts,

which would also eliminate riverine flooding. If DuPage County acquired all 3,235 properties

countywide within a 100-year floodplain and returned them to open space, it would require an

estimated $808.75 million in funds. This estimate assumes each property would require $250,000

for acquisition and demolition.

Investment Needed

While the Lower East Branch Pilot Project will greatly enhance the resilience of the

MID-URN, a much larger investment is necessary to create a stronger East Branch Watershed. In

this Watershed alone, an estimated $140 million is needed for flood control infrastructure

projects.

Income Characteristics

According to the American Community Survey, the per capita income of residents in the

East Branch Watershed is $30,404, compared with a $38,570 overall per capita income for

DuPage County. Poverty is an issue in DuPage County with 7.4% of residents living below the

poverty line. Within the East Branch Watershed, wealth is varying with the highest level of

poverty in Addison at 14.4% living below the poverty line and the lowest in Naperville at 4.1%.

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In the East Branch Watershed, 5.6% of residents receive SNAP benefits. The MID-URN’s per

capita income is $33,524.

Vulnerable Populations

The East Branch Watershed has a high number of seniors at 11% of the population. This

correlates to residential tenure, with 94.2% of those surveyed having owned their own home for

over 10 years. Out of the entire East Branch tenure, 73.2% are owner occupied and 26.8% are

renter occupied. DuPage County as a whole has a senior population that grew by nearly 20% in

the last decade to over 100,000 residents age 65 or older.

In the East Branch watershed area, there are 50,015 people living with disabilities, 7.9%

of the total population. In general, unemployment is very low for those with disabilities at 4.3%

across the entire East Branch. The highest overall unemployment is at 11% in Lisle. In MID-

URN, 14.7% have no vehicle available, 21.1% is minority and 26.4% is aged 65 and older.

The unmet recovery needs detailed earlier in Exhibit D are exasperated by the presence of

vulnerable populations. Limited mobility, fixed and low incomes and disabilities affect one’s

ability to recover from shocks and stresses. Businesses that employ vulnerable populations also

tend to experienced lower productivity following a disaster.

Factors Affecting Recovery & Resilience

Throughout the State of Illinois, many local governments are dependent on a

maintenance budget that relies heavily, if not entirely, on grants to support capital projects.

DuPage County is no exception. Further, unlike some other regions – particularly coastal –

climate considerations have not been studied or adopted as heavily in the Midwest. This creates a

disconnect between public, private or non-profit agencies when discussing future resilience with

residents.

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Appropriate Approaches

In CDBG-NDR Phase 1, DuPage County acknowledged that an approach not considering

the Rockefeller Foundation’s City Resilience Framework, including infrastructure, economy,

leadership and health, would not benefit the MID-URN or greater East Branch area. In Phase 2,

DuPage County has evolved that approach to consider a combination of projects and programs

that include resilient infrastructure, environmental enhancements, economic revitalization and

social benefits.

Regardless of the phrasing of the framework, stakeholder consultation, hydraulic

modeling and data gathering shaped an approach necessary to improve resilience within the

MID-URN, as well as future initiatives for the greater East Branch Watershed. All steps

indicated the homes in the floodplain would continue to flood without some sort of hard

infrastructure intervention combined with environmental improvements to absorb stormwater

and create recreational opportunity. In addition, the area could not move forward as a resilient

community without the redevelopment of safe housing removed from the floodplain or economic

development to foster growth and stability within the community. Further, this formula could be

successful throughout the region and state when attempting to foster communities stronger in the

face of increased severe weather.

Prior to entering into the CDBG-NDR Competition, DuPage County sought funding to

enhance an existing berm that offers some degree of protection for residents within the MID-

URN. Through Phase 1 of the competition, the County considered maintenance of this berm as a

viable capital project. However, maintaining an under-serving berm could actually cause more

harm than good, particularly when considering the false sense of security it provides the

individuals protected by it. For this reason, the funds would not enhance resilience within the

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MID-URN, and, thus, DuPage County is pursuing a more sustainable long-term solution

expanded on in Exhibit E.

38

Soundness of Approach Exhibit E

ExhibitEApproach

DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Sound Approach Description

Approach Overview

As touched upon in Exhibit D, DuPage County approached CDBG-NDR Phase 1 by first

analyzing a map demonstrating need in the form of damage reports immediately following the

Qualifying Disaster and vulnerability by LMI. Compounded by the fact that the East Branch

DuPage River Watershed does not house any major flood control facility and is the least studied

watershed in DuPage, the County proposes to focus the NDR Phase 2 project in the East Branch

Watershed. The Village of Lisle, in particular, showed the greatest amount of unmet recovery

need and vulnerabilities.

To get a better understanding of the East Branch Watershed, the County developed the

East Branch Resilience Plan. The County engaged local public agencies, non-profits, businesses,

residents and several County departments to create a detailed and holistic plan highlighting

existing needs, recovery gaps and opportunities within the watershed. Further, the EBDR

Resilience Plan affirmed the County’s initial inclination that the River-Dumoulin area of Lisle

was the most urgent MID-URN area.

During the planning process of Phase 1, the County collected responses via an online

survey in both English and Spanish from East Branch Watershed residents and businesses on

how the Qualifying Disaster affected them, what hazards threaten them most, opinions on their

communities and what they would like to see in their communities in the future. The survey

received nearly 700 responses and combined with six public meetings, the County began

identifying and formulating potential projects that would shape the ultimate proposal for CDBG-

NDR Phase 2.

39

DuPage County entered Phase 2 armed with four clearly defined issues in the MID-URN

area: infrastructure improvements were necessary; floodplain was hindering economic

opportunities; homes were in need of intervention; and residents universally viewed the East

Branch DuPage River as a nuisance. The County’s project team, consisting of staff and both

engineering and plan consultants, began evaluating various solutions that addressed the urgent

needs of the community and issues identified through the Phase 1 application process.

Attachment E (p. 1) demonstrates the existing conditions of the MID-URN.

Throughout the hydraulic modeling process, the project team, in partnership with Lisle

staff and elected officials, identified four potential solutions in the Lower East Branch area. After

several project revisions, staff meetings and a design charrette with stakeholders including the

County and the Village of Lisle, the approaches were presented to community members during a

public meeting on September 21, 2015. Discussion took place among elected officials and

residents, which resulted in the conclusion that the community is in favor of a project that will

provide a measureable improvement to the strength of this community when faced with shocks

and stresses.

Proposed Project & Alternatives Evaluated

The project team presented four alternatives during the most recent public meeting.

Alternative 1 and 2 represent a maintenance approach, while Alternatives 3 and 4 exemplify a

comprehensive approach. The latter two were subject to intensive scrutiny by the County project

team, Lisle staff and elected officials and residents throughout CDBG-NDR Phase 2 as they have

similar benefits in the next 10 years, but varied implications for the community in the long-term.

While DuPage County is presenting Alternative 4 for funding consideration under CDBG-NDR,

40

the County and its project team recognize additional outreach and consultation will be necessary

to continue shaping the community’s long-term strategies.

Alternative 1: The first alternative is very reactive. The berm currently sits on private

property, so the County could assist Lisle in engaging in a low-cost education on how property

owners may maintain the berm or elevate their properties, including applicable permitting and

compensatory storage requirements. In addition, the County could continue to engage in buyouts

when warranted and funding is available.

Alternative 2: The second alternative explored was maintaining the existing 50-year

berm. At a relatively high cost of $8.5 million (Threshold, pp. 4-18), 2012 estimate, the project

would provide minimal additional protection from the current state of the berm. Under this

solution, the majority of homes would reach substantial damage should another flood event

occur. In time, buyouts would return the area to primarily open space, which hydraulic modeling

shows actually have little to no impact on flood control. Instead, the modeling shows open space

or flood storage is necessary on the East Branch DuPage River tributary, St. Joseph Creek, to

reduce flooding downstream.

Alternative 3: The third alternative involves replacing the existing 50-year berm with a

FEMA-certified levee system on both sides of the East Branch DuPage River at an estimated

cost of $61,586,000. The proposed levee system would protect to the 100-year level with an

additional three feet to account for future increases in river elevations or rainfall totals. The

embankment would be set back on the east side of the river to nearly triple the footprint of the

streambank with approximately 24 acres added to accommodate for green infrastructure and in-

stream restoration, which would lower the overall profile of the river and vastly improve its

ecology through that stretch. Accounting for additional compensatory storage to avoid impacts

41

downstream, 140 acre-feet of new wetland, equaling a capacity of 45.6 million gallons, and a

levee system adjacent to St. Joseph Creek would be created. This comprehensive approach

would allow the County to remap approximately 200 existing structures, mostly residential, out

of the regulatory floodplain. However, two large commercial parcels would also be removed,

opening them up for development and redevelopment. Attachment E (p. 2) includes a map

detailing the project, ancillary benefits such as paths and existing and proposed floodplain under

this alternative.

Alternative 4: The DuPage County CDBG-NDR proposed project provide the immediate

benefits of Alternative 3 in a more efficient and effective approach. Instead of a complete levee

system on the east side of the river, this project would use a combination of fill and sheet piling

to raise the entire area out of the floodplain (Attachment E, p. 3). While the majority of the

existing structures would not remain under this approach, it does provide additional benefits

beyond those of Alternative 3. First, mapping structures out of the floodplain opens the area back

up to development and redevelopment, both of which the County has determined will result in

increased land value (Exhibit F, p. 58). To ensure vulnerable residents have the option of staying

in the community, alternative 4 allows the Village of Lisle some degree of control over the

redevelopment of the areas, including multi-use and mixed-income properties. Attachment E (pp.

4, 8) includes a diagram and conceptual rendering of potential redevelopment opportunities.

Second, raising the area out of the floodplain removes the risk of levee breech completely.

DuPage County understands that a levee is not foolproof and homeowners and businesses will

experience the same issues in the event of future disasters where the levee’s integrity is

compromised. For these reasons and the multiple benefits of the project, Alternative 4, or the

Lower East Branch Pilot Project, is DuPage County’s CDBG-NDR project proposal.

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Creating More Resilient Communities

The Lower East Branch Pilot Project offers the greatest resiliency impact because of its

defining factor – the County will be able to map out nearly 200 existing structures from the

floodplain that would have otherwise remained vulnerable to future flood risks. The project also

consider climatic changes of more extreme weather events by providing flood protection at a

minimum of two-feet above the 100-year elevation, as well as the creation of 42.5 acres of open

space to promote infiltration of stormwater via green infrastructure. Further, 100% of the

households benefiting from the project meet DuPage County’s exception criteria for LMI,

demonstrating the high concentration of vulnerability the project will address.

Defining Metrics & Measuring Success

DuPage County will measure the success of the Lower East Branch Pilot Project in

accordance with the BCA indicators, including:

Resiliency Value: Number of structures mapped out of the 100-year floodplain.

Environmental Value: Acres of new open space and wetlands created. Measurable

improvement in quality of East Branch DuPage River.

Social Value: Feet of trail created, and number of users.

Economic Revitalization: Number of intermittent and permanent jobs created. Increase in

land value.

In addition, DuPage County and the Partnership plan to evaluate common metrics

periodically across the aforementioned categories to present uniform results from each of the

respective pilot projects, from which best practices can be derived.

Increasing Resilience for Current & Future Risks

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The Lower East Branch Pilot Project not only considers historic flooding, but also

anticipates future precipitation trends. As a CTP with FEMA (Exhibit C, p. 17), DuPage County

recently remapped the area for FEMA, and those new maps are scheduled to go into effect next

year. The County’s project anticipates new regulations by lowering the overall river profile and

combining several feet of steel to protect beyond the fill elevation. Further, the project includes

in-stream and streambank restoration, which is a vital component in flood control projects.

Ancillary benefits to the massive environmental restoration outside of stormwater capacity and

increased restoration opportunities include improvements in air quality, reductions in heat island

effects and increased ecological diversity.

Trails along the East Branch DuPage River will reduce heavy congestion of vehicles and

roads, particularly during severe weather events or other shocks as well as incorporate amenities

for residents, recreation and access to forest preserves, parks, and other destinations.

Effect on Vulnerable Populations

DuPage County intends to protect and better the lives of vulnerable populations under the

project. The County has a robust Voluntary Flood-Prone Buyout Program (Exhibit C, p. 15) in

place, and, although involuntary acquisition has not been the preferred practice, the County does

follow the Uniform Relocation Act (URA). Further, led by CDD, the County will ensure the

project and any applicable jobs are provided to Section 3 persons to the best extent possible. The

Lower East Branch Pilot Project is projected to create an estimated 1,703 permanent jobs, as well

as an estimated 1,486 construction jobs (Exhibit F, p. 58).

Model for Other Communities

The replicability of the Lower East Branch Pilot Project results from DuPage County’s

intentional planning process and its geography as a typical suburban area. Prior to the current

44

ordinances, development occurred at rapid rates within floodplains and floodways throughout the

region and state. Compounding this issue is the channelization and straightening of rivers and

streams that. Prior to the 1980s, proximity to water was an asset; however, a few large storm

events of the past decades have drastically changed the perception of water to a nuisance. The

MID-URN is a prime example of this, and several others can be found within the greater East

Branch Watershed, including the aforementioned unincorporated Glen Ellyn.

The Lower East Branch Pilot Project represents resilient approach to mitigate

permanently the historically unregulated development. From the very early stages of assessing

urgent need through design, any community can use this replicable and scalable planning

approach. Further, it involves the concept of “reshuffling” homes, businesses and other

properties to areas that make more sense, while converting what was floodplain development

into a useable community asset – for example, wetlands and trails.

This approach also needs to carefully consider stakeholders to ensure equitable decision-

making on what properties should be “reshuffled” and to where. In this regard, the Lower East

Branch Pilot Project is evolving through a participatory planning process that other communities

may use as a model.

DuPage County’s involvement in the regional Partnership will prove to be a key means

for ensuring replicability of the Lower East Branch Pilot Project and other successful

interventions across the region.

Feasibility & Effectiveness

The design for the Lower East Branch Pilot Project conforms to industry standards and

has been reviewed by professional engineers and cost experts. Further, advanced hydraulic

modeling confirms the effectiveness of the project, and draft floodplain maps prepared by

45

DuPage County for FEMA are being considered in project development. After implementation,

the project will offer a 100-year level of protection with additional freeboard and infiltration

practices incorporated to account for climatic changes and increased precipitation projections.

Assuming proper maintenance, which the County intends to manage, the life of the project can

be extended beyond the 50-year estimate assumed in the BCA. CDBG-NDR would not fund the

anticipated annual operation and maintenance costs, but, rather, DuPage County would absorb

the estimated $9,241 annual cost in the existing budget for operations and maintenance of

countywide flood control facilities.

Nonetheless, the proposal has some impediments that must be overcome before realizing

its full potential. First, a large component of the project involves buyouts. DuPage County has

vast experience, detailed further in Exhibit C (p. 15), including 49 homes at one time in an

unincorporated Glen Ellyn neighborhood just to the north of the MID-URN. However, the

County is preparing for residents who may favor status quo by engaging them early on in the

process. Second, the County must overcome some regulatory hurdle to fully implement the

Lower East Branch Pilot Project, specifically federal regulations deeming parcels open space in

perpetuity following flood-prone buyouts. The County recently tackled this issue with properties

in the aforementioned unincorporated neighborhood, which were identified for an Illinois

Department of Transportation (IDOT) project. Although the project is not moving forward in

IDOT’s current budget, the County is confident the appropriate disposition and use of property

can occur in partnership with federal funding agencies.

Multi-Jurisdictional Cooperation

During CDBG-NDR Phase 1, the Partnership convened 10 regional meetings with

stakeholders representing 79 organizations, including 27 non-profit and community based

46

organizations, 24 public sector agencies, 19 businesses, 6 research institutions and 3 local

foundations. In CDBG-NDR Phase 2, the Partnership met with 40 new organizations on top of

the 170 that had been engaged in Phase 1. This serves as a model for similar regional working

relationships throughout the State of Illinois and nationwide. Further, CMAP is convening a

regional group of experts to assist in a policy paper for their upcoming regional plan. The focus

is creating communities that are more resilient to withstand a plethora of shocks and stresses.

Locally, in CDBG-NDR Phase 1, DuPage County developed the East Branch Resilience

Plan, during which the County formed a steering committee including public, private and non-

profit partners, held six community meetings and received 700 responses to a residential survey.

In CDBG-NDR Phase 2, the County developed conceptual projects to determine the funding

request from HUD. Throughout this process, the County worked closely and regularly with

Village of Lisle representatives, as well as other East Branch Watershed municipalities and Will

County, and held a public workshop, public hearing and resilience open house. In addition,

based on Phase 1 outreach, the County and its partner, Bluestem Communications, distributed a

sample of approximately 700 surveys to residents within the East Branch Watershed to learn

more about their respective flooding issues in order for the County to develop helpful outreach

materials. A full consultation summary for CDBG-NDR Phase 2 can be found in Attachment D

(pp. 5-18).

In addition to DuPage County’s extensive regional and local outreach across both phases

of CDBG-NDR, the County and Partnership have plans to continue the cooperation catalyzed by

the competition. DuPage County intends to continue engaging residents and other stakeholders

within the MID-URN and East Branch Watershed throughout the life of the project, particularly

where property acquisition and the options for re-development are concerned. Furthermore, the

47

County has already reached out to major transportation agencies, IDOT and the Illinois Tollway,

to identify funding for future projects that either enhance or complement the Lower East Branch

Pilot Project (Attachment D, pp. 1-2).

Regionally, the Lower East Branch Pilot Project fits into a larger regional resilience

component along with the pilot projects presented by other Partnership members. The

Partnership’s multi-jurisdictional approach can be divided into three key efforts:

1. Innovative Resilience Target Communities. Through a series of target communities,

the Partnership will demonstrate the effectiveness of innovative interventions, from

on-the-ground projects to new finance mechanisms. These target areas represent a

true cross section of the social, ecological, and built profiles found in northeastern

Illinois communities. Successful interventions will be transferred to communities

across the region and state. Over time, communities will forge a new, healthy

relationship with water.

2. Cross-jurisdictional Coordination. With the goal of scaling up successful

interventions to create impact in communities across the region and state, the

Partnership is committed to cross-jurisdictional coordination. This coordination is

meant to improve the level of innovation and quality within each target community,

ensure that impacts are considered across jurisdictions, improve the state of practice

for building resilience and ultimately develop a template for resilience planning that

can be used across the region, state and nation.

3. Regional Resilience Framework for Action. Recognizing that building regional

resilience is bigger than any one entity or community, the Partnership will

collaboratively advance efforts at the regional scale on data and modeling, planning,

48

capacity-building, financial mechanisms, and policy and institutional changes, among

other areas.

BCA

In partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), DuPage County found

that the Lower East Branch Pilot Project benefited the communities at a 5.9:1 ratio over a 50-

year span. In addition to the USACE’s traditional BCA model, each of the project alternatives

was evaluated on life cycle costs, resiliency value, environmental value, social value and

economic revitalization. Further, USACE added a 30% contingency to the project costs to

account for unknowns during design, permitting, environmental review and construction process.

The full BCA is available in Attachment F.

Project Scaling & Scoping

The Lower East Branch Pilot Project uses the basics of stormwater management and

engineering principals to remove vulnerable populations from the floodplain and improve

economic development opportunities for an area. This versatile project could expand or contract

to fit the budgetary requirements of any urban area. In addition, the County developed the pilot

in a way that could phase the major construction aspects as follows.

Phase 1

The first phase of the Lower East Branch Pilot Project is the most involved at an estimate

of $29,206,600 (Attachment E, p. 5). Activities within this phase include property acquisition

and demolition, conveyance improvements on the East Branch DuPage River and wetland

creation along St. Joseph Creek. The phase would also remove through fill two significant

parcels of land from the regulatory floodplain, which leaves them open for re-development

following the remapping process. This phasing may allow Phase 1 property sale to be used to

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finance Phase 2 and 3 property acquisition and partial design costs. Phase 1 is estimated to

require two years.

Phase 2

The second phase involves many of the same activities as the first, but they are not as

significant with an estimated total cost of $10,962,800 (Attachment E, p. 6). A large differential

from Phase 1 is that this phase involves the relocation of St. Joseph Creek, which will allow for

maximum flood storage and sustainable, naturalized areas. This phase would also remove

through fill another significant parcel of land from the regulatory floodplain, promoting re-

development that could assist in financing Phase 3. Phase 2 is estimated to require approximately

two years following Phase 1, although work may be completed concurrently.

Phase 3

The final phase involves the construction of certified levees to remove areas not included

within the fill option from the regulatory floodplain (Attachment E, p. 7). Certified levees protect

at a 100-year flood level, plus an additional three feet. The total cost for this phase is estimated at

$10,734,400. Phase 3 is estimated to require approximately three and a half years, most of which

is permitting that may run concurrently with Phase 2.

Project & Program Scheduling

A detailed project schedule by phase contingent upon the award of CDBG-NDR funds is

outlined on the following pages. Attachment G includes a waiver request to extend the spending

of funds through 2021. The project schedule anticipates permitting, a thorough environmental

review and procurement prior to construction. The County expects the Lower East Branch Pilot

Project to begin providing benefits at the conclusion of Phase 1 in 2018 with full functionality of

the project realized by the end of September 2021.

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2016

Project Task J FMAM J J A S ON D J FMAM J J A S ON D J FMAM J J A S ON D

Procurement

Eng/des/App/Survey/Etc-

PRELIM / FINAL ENG

DESIGN

Land Acquisition

Survey & Geotech

Floodway Eval

Reg Agency Coord

Phase I Design

PERMITTING

HUD Enviro Review

DPC SWM Permit

IDNR Permit

CLOMR

USACE Permit

NEPA Process

IDOT Permits

CONSTRUCTION

Phase I Const

2017 2018

PHASE I - RIVER CONVEY, ST. JOE STORAGE & BURLINGTON EAST / LISLE SW FILL

51

2018

Project Task J FMAMJ J A S OND J FMAMJ J A S OND J FMAMJ J A S OND J FMAMJ J A S

PRELIM / FINAL

ENG DESIGN

Land Acquisition

Survey & Geotech

Floodway Eval

Reg Agency Coord

Phase II Design

PERMITTING

HUD Enviro

Review DPC SWM Permit

IDNR Permit

CLOMR

USACE Permit

NEPA Process

CONSTRUCTION

Phase II Const

2019 2020 2021

PHASE II - FINAL RIVER , ST. JOE CREEK & DUMOULIN AREA FILL

52

2018

Project Task J FMAMJ J A S OND J FMAMJ J A S OND J FMAMJ J A S OND J FMAMJ J A S OND

PRELIM / FINAL

ENG DESIGN

Land Acquisition

Survey & Geotech

Floodway Eval

Reg Agency Coord

Phase III Design

PERMITTING

HUD Enviro

Review DPC SWM Permit

IDNR Permit

CLOMR

USACE Permit

NEPA Process

CONSTRUCTION

Phase III Const

2019 2020 2021

PHASE III - CERTIFIED LEVEE SYSTEM FOR RIVER & BURLINGTON WEST AREAS

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Budget

Cost Estimate

The approximate base cost estimate for construction and property acquisition for the

Lower East Branch Pilot Project is $42,895,000, if completed as one, holistic project. As with the

phased options, DuPage County would also elect to include optional features to increase

resilience, including all steel sheeting and bike paths, making the final cost $49,703,800. These

costs, outlined below, were determined by licensed professional engineers working on modeling

and design for the approaches.

WARRENVILLE PROPERTY STORAGE $ 963,000.00

4466 LINCOLN PROPERTY FILL $ 186,000.00

MIDDLETON AVENUE CONTROL STRUCTURE $ 1,986,000.00

RIVDER DRIVE LEVEE CONSTRUCTION $ 2,303,000.00

SCHWARTZ CREEK CONVEYANCE IMPROVEMENT $ 301,000.00

DUMOULIN AREA PROPERTY FILL $ 8,965,000.00

SAINT JOSEPH CREEK STORAGE BASINS $ 5,346,000.00

SAINT JOSEPH CREEK RELOCATION $ 1,911,000.00

OGDEN AVENUE CONVEYANCE IMPROVEMENT $ 2,164,000.00

BURLINGTON WEST AREA LEVEE CONSTRUCTION $ 1,833,000.00

BURLINGTON EAST AREA PROPERTY FILL $ 9,699,000.00

BURLINGTON EAST AREA CONVEYANCE IMPROVEMENT $ 2,391,000.00

LISLE SOUTHWEST AREA FILL $ 4,238,000.00

SHORT STREET BERM $ 609,000.00

PROJECT TOTALS : $ 42,895,000.00

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ALTERNATIVE 1 - SHEET PILE AESTHETIC FACING $ 999,000.00

ALTERNATIVE 2 - ALL STEEL SHEETING $ 3,000,000.00

ALTERNATIVE 3 - BIKE PATH WITH SCENIC FEATURES $ 2,809,800.00

TOTAL PROJECT INCLUDING ALL ALTERNATIVES $ 49,703,800.00

Cost Analysis

The cost estimate reflects the acquisition, construction and materials cost of mapping an

area containing approximately 200 structures from the regulatory floodplain. However, the

entirety of the Lower East Branch Pilot Project includes private development to spur economic

activity and provide mixed-income housing in the MID-URN to protect the makeup of its current

population. The private development costs are estimated to be $190,000,000 with an expected

annual 7% return on investment (Exhibit F, p. 58).

DuPage County and its project team developed the costs for each approach in

conformance with accepted design practices, standards, guidelines and computer software. The

County followed the State of Illinois and USACE’s design guidance. Construction cost estimates

from recent projects within the State of similar scope, construction costs from recent projects in

other U.S. localities, vendor quotes and engineering judgment and experience were used in order

to ensure that it is in line with industry standards. Attachment F includes further details about the

cost-effectiveness of the project.

As the project advances to the implementation phase, DuPage County will use a

competitive bidding process (Exhibit C, pp. 12-13) to ensure the project will remain cost

effective. The County will also report all project activities in HUD’s Disaster Recovery Grant

Reporting System.

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Sources & Uses

A detailed Sources and Uses Statement outlining these costs is included in Attachment B

(p. 1).

Consistency with Other Planning Documents

The proposed Lower East Branch Pilot Project is consistent with other adopted planning

documents applicable to the MID-URN, including CMAP’s GO TO 2040 comprehensive

regional plan and DuPage County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. For more information on planning

coordination, updates and alignment, see Exhibit G.

Regional Sustainability Plan

The Lower East Branch Pilot Project follows guidelines established in CMAP’s GO TO

2040 comprehensive regional plan, which includes recommendations for livable communities,

human capital, efficient government and regional mobility. CMAP affirmed the compatibility of

the Lower East Branch Pilot Project with their regional plan in a letter evident in Attachment D

(p. 3).

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Plan

The Lower East Branch Pilot Project is consistent with DuPage County’s Hazard

Mitigation Plan. The 2013 Annual Report updating the 2012 Plan outlines the natural disaster

occurring during April 2013 noting that most municipalities in DuPage County had critical

infrastructure without power and residents in need of shelter. To mitigate for such natural

disasters, Action Item 11 in the County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan calls for Structural Flood

Control Projects and Action Item 9 calls for Property Protection Projects, including property

acquisition for repetitive loss properties. OEM affirmed this in a letter evident in Attachment D

(p. 4).

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Leverage Exhibit F

ExhibitFLeverage

DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Leverage

Direct Financial Commitments

DuPage County is in the process of seeking direct financial commitments for its

resilience projects from public, private and non-profits affiliations. Attachment B includes

documentation of these direct commitments, which are:

ComEd has pledged a direct cash commitment of $244,860 to the Lower East Branch

Pilot Project. This financial commitment is in conjunction with a flood-proofing initiative

for the area to ensure power remains in place during extreme weather or other events (pp.

19-23).

DuDOT has affirmed $5.5 million in road and bridge improvements in the MID-URN

(pp. 4-5).

PW has committed $1.15 million in drainage projects in the MID-URN (pp. 2-3).

SWM contributed $75,000 to East Branch Resilience Plan development and will assume

responsibility for maintenance and operation of the flood control aspects of the project,

including a levee and pump station, estimated as an annual cost of $9,241 (pp. 24-57).

Supporting Commitments

DuPage County has elicited a number of supporting commitments for the East Branch

Watershed from various partners following the NOFA through the next 5 years. Attachment B

includes documentation of these supporting commitments, including:

A partnership agreement between DuPage County, USACE and Will County for a

planning and feasibility study for the entire DuPage River Watershed for $3 million (pp.

6-18).

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A commitment from PW for storm and sanitary sewer upgrades in the East Branch

DuPage River for $2.55 million (pp. 2-3).

A commitment from DuDOT for resilient road and traffic control projects totaled at $2.8

million (pp. 4-5).

An annual commitment of 25% to eligible green infrastructure projects as stipulated by

SWM’s Water Quality Improvement Grant Program totaling $300,000 annually and $1.5

million over five years (pp. 24-57).

Long-Term Benefit

As evidenced through a highly favorable BCA, the Lower East Branch Pilot Project is

estimated to have substantial long-term benefit to the area. Projections for both residential and

commercial development raise the land value affected by the project from $24,624,115 to

$245,657,031 with an assumed investment of $190,000,000, which is a 7% return to investors. In

addition, the redevelopment would create an estimated 1,703 permanent jobs, as well as an

estimated 1,486 construction jobs.

Site Proposed Use Acres

Land

Value

Development

Value

Jobs

Const.

Jobs

1 Commercial (hotel) 4.8 $1,000,000 $34,166,000 330 352

1 Alt. Commercial (office) 4.8 $1,000,000 $78,408,000 1,373

2 Med. Density Multi-Family 11.5 $7,406,472 $43,567,482

410

3 Med. Density Multi-Family 10.8 $6,955,643 $40,915,549

385

4 High Density Multi-Family 6 $8,262,000 $48,600,000

339

Total $24,624,115 $245,657,031 1,703 1,486

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Long-Term Commitments Exhibit G

ExhibitGCommitments

DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Regional Coordination & Long-Term Commitments

DuPage County is a committed member of the bipartisan, multi-jurisdictional

Partnership, as articulated in the signed MOU from CDBG-NDR Phase 1 (Attachment A, pp. 10-

13). The goal of the Partnership is to build resilience across the region, and become a model for

cooperation throughout the state and nation. During Phase 1, DuPage County and the Partnership

committed to 12 actions with a completion date of the end of 2016. Approximately five of those

actions are substantially completed. The remaining actions – all ancillary to the Lower East

Branch Pilot – have been refocused by state, regional and local initiatives sorted by lessons

learned, legislative action, raising standards, plan updates or alignment and financing and

economic issues.

Lessons Learned

Flood Forecasting (Local)

Unlike the two other major watersheds in DuPage County – the West Branch DuPage

River and Salt Creek – the East Branch DuPage River does not have flood forecasting in place

for the watershed. The lack of flood forecasting limits the amount of advanced notice residents

and business owners have in protecting themselves from flood events, which burdens vulnerable

areas in times of severe or uncertain weather forecasts. DuPage County plans to create a flood

forecasting program combined with long-term flood-proofing education for the East Branch

Watershed, specifically to notify landowners within with regulatory floodplain of the potential

for riverine flooding. The County intends to accomplish and fund the advanced warning system

through a Flood Forecasting Focus Group by fiscal year (FY) 2016. In spring of 2015, the

County executed a contract with Bluestem Communications to develop educational resources.

Green Infrastructure Planning (Local)

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DuPage County has minimal green infrastructure and land use planning. In order to

implement techniques within the East Branch Watershed, DuPage County plans to take a bottom-

up approach or “crowd source” green infrastructure to residential areas and municipal downtown

corridors. Using existing green infrastructure simulation technologies, such as those developed

by the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), DuPage County plans to initiate a planning pilot

to create a comprehensive green infrastructure plan and strategy for Downers Grove’s downtown

corridor by FY 2016. This corridor contributes to flooding in St. Joseph Creek, which has a

direct correlation to the MID-URN. Further, this more urbanized planning complements the

County’s existing residential green infrastructure planning efforts in the Village of Villa Park. A

contract to accomplish green infrastructure planning and design work is already executed using

CDBG-DR funds.

Northeastern Illinois Resilience Partnership (Regional & State)

As a model for the State of Illinois, the Partnership intends to meet quarterly over the

next five years, guided by an advisory committee of experts representing diverse sectors, from

insurance to public health, to review our progress. Since the Partnership’s establishment in Phase

1, it has built the capacity of over 350 stakeholders to integrate resilience thinking into local and

regional planning and policymaking, and will continue to address longer term issues of

financing, shared monitoring and evaluation, and regional coordination and scaling through

future working groups.

To ensure ongoing regional focus and delivery on resilience the State of Illinois, DuPage

County, Cook County and the City of Chicago will each serve rotating one year terms as the

Convening Chair of the regional Partnership. This structure will kick off following a

collaborative process to review best practice research on cross-sectoral collaboration; this best

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practice research effort will be facilitated by a local non-profit, Foresight Design Initiative, and

has been awarded $100,000 in funding by the Chicago Community Trust (Attachment B). The

proposed State of Illinois Resilience Coordinator will support the ongoing structure. To evaluate

its success, the Partnership will measure the number of homes with reduced risk of flooding as a

result of its on-the-ground interventions, as well as the number of individuals engaged through

programs run by its members.

The State of Illinois, in collaboration with the Prairie Research Institute of the University

of Illinois, will help identify metrics to evaluate progress for all of the target communities and

regional actions set forth by the Northeastern Illinois Resilience Partnership.

Legislative Action

Model Codes & Ordinances (Local & State)

Municipalities within DuPage County have varying building codes and zoning ordinances

that may impede green infrastructure, rainwater reuse, native landscaping, wetland preservation

and other resiliency strategies. A goal of the Partnership is to create model codes and ordinances

for municipalities to use. DuPage County intends to support up to three ordinance audits per year

with the goal of improving allowances for green infrastructure and other resilience-building

mechanisms, such as promoting freeboard above the NFIP standards. Since CDBG-NDR Phase

1, the State of Illinois has completed and released a model stormwater management ordinance

for municipalities across the state.

Urban Flooding Awareness Act & Insurance Issues (State)

Following passage of the Urban Flooding Awareness Act in Illinois in August 2014, a

June 2015 Report, mandated by the Act, gathered information on the prevalence and cost of

urban flooding in Illinois and made 33 recommendations for minimizing the damage to property

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which are now being explored in greater detail. In addition, State of Illinois is continuing to

implement structural flood risk assessments of structure across the state to improve the accuracy

of insurance coverage, particularly for structures outside of the floodplain.

Raising Standards

Community Rating System (Local)

DuPage County is not currently a Community Rating System (CRS) community.

Currently, six of 10 DuPage County communities participating are located in the East Branch

Watershed. DuPage County plans to become a participant in FEMA’s CRS program for

unincorporated areas by FY 2016 and encourage participation countywide with the goal of

increasing communities involves by 10% annually.

Updates to Bulletin 70 (State)

ISWS is committed to updating Bulletin 70 rainfall values for all new floodplain-

mapping studies and for the design of all water-handling structures by December 2017.

Plan Updates or Alignment

Local Technical Assistance Plans & Projects (Regional)

As part of the regional Partnership, CMAP committed to integrating climate

considerations in its Local Technical Assistance projects in CDBG-NDR Phase 1 through

climate vulnerability assessments and recommendations that take into account climate

projections in infrastructure, land use, economic development and conservation and natural

resource management issues. CMAP is committed to incorporating climate considerations into

its Local Technical Assistance program through climate vulnerability assessments and

recommendations that take into account climate projections. Since Phase 1, CMAP has initiated

three projects that incorporate advanced analytical techniques and robust recommendations for

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stormwater management, capital improvements and comprehensive planning. These projects are

supported by the MacArthur Foundation and cover 59,380 residents across three municipalities

in Cook County. CMAP has recommended the initiation of five additional projects for the

upcoming year that will also likely include a significant stormwater resilience aspect, pending

approval from CMAP’s Board. The recommended projects include a stormwater management

plan, river corridor study and comprehensive plan, which together include over 130,000

residents. CMAP has also applied for $900,000 of funding to pursue additional work on climate

vulnerability assessments through two grant opportunities from the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), both of which are still pending.

Regional Comprehensive Plan Development (Regional)

CMAP is supporting long-term efforts to build resilience as part of the process to develop

a new regional comprehensive plan for the Northeastern Illinois region. The planning process,

which began in July 2015, will occur over the next three years and ultimately provide targets and

recommendations for the region on land use, transportation, economic development,

environmental and governance issues. This ongoing effort includes the development of a

regional resilience strategy, which is expected to be a significant issue covered in the regional

plan. The regional resilience strategy largely builds upon the collective efforts of the regional

Partnership by:

Fostering multi-jurisdictional collaboration by engaging other jurisdictions in the

Northeastern Illinois region that are not eligible for the NDRC;

Ensuring that the Partnership’s long-term ideas can be achieved beyond the time-frame of

the HUD grant; and

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Incorporating shared resilience vision and innovative resilience strategies into a formal,

region-wide plan that covers a comprehensive set of planning issues for communities,

economies, infrastructure systems and ecosystems.

The cross-sector relationships initiated through the CDBG-NDR informed CMAP’s

approach to establish a resource group to guide the regional resilience strategy. The resource

group includes representatives from all four NDRC applicants, as well as diverse experts from

public health, philanthropy, emergency management, transportation, stormwater, utility

companies, land management and environmental justice community-based organizations. This

stakeholder engagement will be paired with robust public and resident engagement in later

planning stages. Ultimately, the regional comprehensive plan will provide a framework for

CMAP and its partners, including Partnership members, to implement resilience policies and

programs in a concerted, strategic manner.

Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (Local)

Prior to the NOFA, DuPage County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan did not include climate

considerations and were not related to local land use plans and regulation. DuPage County

intends to incorporate climate considerations, local land use plans and regulation incrementally

in annual updates and fully update under current FEMA cycle, which is in 2017 for DuPage

County.

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Program (Local)

Although DuPage County is not currently involved with the Federal Highway

Administration’s Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Program, DuDOT has short-term

plans to develop a 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan to identify projects and initiatives that

are mutually beneficial to DuPage County residents.

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Financing & Economic Issues

Stormwater Management Funding (Local)

SWM operates a maintenance budget with 2010 bond payments required through 2017.

In spite of funding not being readily available, the County intends to continue researching

resilient and dedicated stream of funding – from both public and private sources – to address

unmet needs in the East Branch DuPage River Watershed from the April 2013 flood. To date, a

financial analysis of the program has been completed and is waiting for review by the DuPage

County Board. In addition, 2013 legislation by the Illinois State Legislature authorized DuPage

County to explore alternative funding methods, such as a stormwater fee.

Clean Water State Revolving Fund (State)

The IEPA is in the process of finalizing regulations that will make low-interest financing

available through its Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) for the first time ever for

urban stormwater, green infrastructure, water efficiency and projects intended to make water

infrastructure more resilient.

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