Title
Resolution Approving the City of Hampton, Virginia’s Participation in and Appropriation of the United States Air Force Base Grant Through the Office of the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program Administered by the Department of Defense Office of the Secretary of Defense
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
This resolution facilitates the continuation of the ongoing process of mitigating non-compatible land use, development and encroachment around the Langley Air Force Base (LAFB) flight approach zones as defined the 2010 Joint Land Use Study. This second phase expands the land/properties LAFB identified as impacting safety of flight operations around the installation to include eight (8) additional properties. For this phase, LAFB will also be providing up to $500,000 in funding to help offset the costs of acquisitions through the Readiness Environmental & Protection Integration program (REPI). The City previously used State funding from the Federal Area Contingency Trust (FACT) fund which was matched by City funds.
The attached resolution concerns funding from the state and federal government for this “Phase II” of acquisitions. The City has applied for and received approval for an additional $250,000 of state funding to be received October 1, 2017. A separate resolution will govern appropriation of the local match for this State funding. The City has committed to capping the State’s contribution to 25% of the total acquisition cost of each parcel. Up to 50% of the acquisition cost is expected to be offset by the federal REPI funding in the form of payment for restrictive use easements to be transferred from the City to the Air Force.
Accordingly, the estimated City contribution to the acquisitions is 25% of the total cost of each parcel, but this share could increase if the appraised value of the restrictive use easements constitutes less than 50% of the value of the acquisition (the City will cover the difference).
Discussion:
See Purpose/Background above.
Impact:
See Purpose/Background above.
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve the Resolution
Body
WHEREAS, the Office of the Secretary of Veterans & Defense Affairs of the Commonwealth of Virginia has awarded $250,000 of state funding (“State Funding”) to the City of Hampton with a local match required of $250,000 to facilitate efforts to acquire properties near Langley Air Force Base that impact the safety of flight operations around the installation;
WHEREAS, appropriation of the local match for the State Funding is be governed by separate resolution;
WHEREAS, the Office of the Secretary of Defense has previously agreed to fund the value of restrictive use easements that the City will grant to the Air Force on parcels that are acquired under the Readiness Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program up to a total amount of $500,000 in federal funds as well as to reimburse the City for 50% of the costs of due diligence work toward acquiring said parcels, such as land surveys, environmental site assessments, and title reports (“Federal Funding”);
WHEREAS, $170,000 of the $500,000 in Federal Funding is already eligible for reimbursement as the City has acquired the subject parcel of property and the City Council has approved the conveyance of the above-mentioned restrictive use easement to the Air Force;
WHEREAS, the remaining $330,000 in Federal Funding and $250,000 in State Funding with the local match will be used to enter into “Phase II” of acquisitions with the Commonwealth of Virginia and Langley Air Force Base under the REPI Program to mitigate incompatible encroachment at Langley Air Force Base in an effort to acquire eight additional parcels in close proximity to the Installation;
WHEREAS, the REPI Program is a key tool for combating encroachment that can limit or restrict military training, testing and operations, and protecting these military missions by helping remove or avoid land-use conflicts near installations and addressing regulatory restrictions that inhibit military activities; and
WHEREAS, the State Funding grant completion date is September 30, 2019.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia accepts and appropriates to the Langley Clear Zone Phase 2 account the United States Air Force Base grant award in the amount of $250,000 by the Office of the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs of the Commonwealth of Virginia, $250,000 in local match funds, and $330,000 by the Office of the Secretary of Defense of the Department of Defense and any related supplemental funding in accordance with the grant agreements;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council authorizes the City Manager or her designee to take the necessary steps to implement this grant award.