Title
To express support for the City’s application to become a member of the American Flood Coalition.
Body
WHEREAS, proactively investing to prevent flooding is a wiser use of resources than spending on flooding recovery, as exemplified by the United States Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency research showing that $1.00 spent on disaster prevention saves up to $7.00 in recovery costs; and
WHEREAS, national coordination and support are necessary for communities to fully address the challenge of flooding and sea level rise, and the American Flood Coalition provides a platform advocating for national solutions to flooding and sea level rise that invest in and protect our coastal communities; and
WHEREAS, the American Flood Coalition is a no-cost forum for best practices and source of support in developing local and state-level responses to flooding and sea level rise that will enhance the City’s resilience effort; and
WHEREAS, flooding and sea level rise are important issues that residents deserve to understand and the American Flood Coalition provides opportunities and tools to communicate with residents on flooding challenges and solutions; and
WHEREAS, joining the American Flood Coalition will aid the City’s efforts to protect against flooding without requiring any financial support or dues from the City of Richmond; and
WHEREAS, the City established an annually funded stormwater utility and operates and maintains a $153,000,000.00 floodwall and levee system to provide river flood protection to important economic and residential portions of the city, with such system directly impacting the rates paid by those citizens requiring federal flood insurance for their structures; and
WHEREAS, the City finds that joining the American Flood Coalition will promote the welfare of the residents of the city of Richmond and ensure the prosperity of the city’s economy by accelerating solutions to sea level rise and flooding, and
WHEREAS, the City believes that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the City of Richmond that the City submit an application to become a member of the American Flood Coalition for the purpose of promoting the welfare of the residents of the city of Richmond and ensuring the prosperity of the city’s economy by accelerating solutions to sea level rise and flooding;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND:
That the City hereby supports efforts to become a member of the American Flood Coalition, and the application therefor, for the purpose of promoting the welfare of the residents of the city of Richmond and ensuring the prosperity of the city’s economy by accelerating solutions to sea level rise and flooding.