Design and Resiliency Team (DART) Technical Assistance Application Copyrighted
April 3, 2017
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 16.
ITEM TITLE: Design and Resiliency Team (DART)Technical Assistance
Application
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval for the City of
Dubuque to apply for a Design & Resiliency Team technical
assistance project and for Sustainable
Community Coordinator Cori Burbach to serve on a
technical assistance team.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Design & Resiliency Team Technical Assistance City Manager Memo
Application-MVM Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
DARTApplication Supporting Documentation
THE CM OF Dubuque
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Design & Resiliency Team Technical Assistance Application
DATE: March 22, 2017
The Design & Resiliency Team program is a pro bono, technical assistance program
created to help communities develop a strategic vision and promote community
resiliency, usually by focusing on a specific issue and/or geographic area. The program
is sponsored by the American Institute for Architects Center for Communities by Design
and Urban Sustainability Directors Network. The program is modeled after the
successful Sustainability Design Assessment Team program that Dubuque participated
in during the development of the Sustainable Dubuque vision, but includes a new focus
on resiliency.
Specific outcomes of the Design & Resiliency Team program could include:
• Development of public dialogues to discuss hazards and vulnerabilities identified
in existing climate change data, including the report that will be a result of
Dubuque's previously-approved participation in the University of Nebraska
Municipal Climate Adaptation project.
• Recommendations to integrate climate adaptation strategies into existing
emergency preparedness plans, including the Dubuque County Hazard
Mitigation Plan.
• Recommendations for additional municipal policies or procedures to increase the
adaptive capacity of the organization.
• Work with the City's Equity Team to identify hazards and threats specific to our
most vulnerable populations.
Sustainable Community Coordinator Cori Burbach recommends City Council approval
for the City of Dubuque to apply for a Design & Resiliency Team technical assistance
project, and for Cori Burbach to serve on a technical assistance team in another
community, should the opportunity arise.
The Resilient Community Advisory Commission would play a leadership role in these
community conversations.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen'
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Cori Burbach, Sustainable Community Coordinator
Rick Steines, Fire Chief
Tom Berger, Emergency Management Director
2
THE CITY OF Dubuque
UBE I
erica .i
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2007-2012-2013
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Cori Burbach, Sustainable Community Coordinator
SUBJECT: Design & Resiliency Team Technical Assistance Application
DATE: March 22, 2017
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to request City Council approval for the City of Dubuque to
apply for a Design & Resiliency Team technical assistance project, and for Sustainable
Community Coordinator Cori Burbach to serve on a technical assistance team in
another community, should the opportunity arise.
BACKGROUND
The Design & Resiliency Team (DART) program is a pro bono, technical assistance
program created to help communities develop a strategic vision and promote
community resiliency, usually by focusing on a specific issue and/or geographic area.
The program is sponsored by the American Institute for Architects (AIA) Center for
Communities by Design and Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), which
Burbach belongs to. The program is modeled after the successful Sustainability Design
Assessment Team (SDAT) program that Dubuque participated in during the
development of the Sustainable Dubuque vision, but includes a new focus on resiliency.
Through the program, five-person multidisciplinary teams of public and private sector
experts from fields relevant to the community's needs provide tailored, pro bono
technical assistance to a community around a problem statement or challenge identified
by the community. The process includes an introductory, one-day visit to design the
community engagement process, and a second intense, two-day community event
consisting of stakeholder focus groups, public workshops, and a final evening
community presentation on the team's findings. The community also receives a final
report from the consulting team to aid in implementation of the recommended actions.
DISCUSSION
The first request of the City Council is to approve Dubuque's attached application to
participate in the DART process. City staff and Dubuque County Emergency
Management Agency Director Tom Berger developed the proposal based on the
strengths and weaknesses identified in the City's 2015 STAR Community certification.
Dubuque proposes a DART process that will develop a clear climate adaptation
roadmap for the community, one that analyzes vulnerabilities experienced as a result of
climate change, and the impact they can have on the built and natural environment,
economy, and social networks. Specifically, Dubuque aims to build upon existing
community initiatives and frame a climate adaptation strategy with subtopics of public
health and equity/vulnerable populations. This roadmap will help Dubuque meet the
requirements committed to when Mayor Buol signed the Compact (now Covenant) of
Mayors in 2015.
Specific outcomes of the DART could include:
• Development of public dialogues to discuss hazards and vulnerabilities identified
in existing climate change data, including the report that will be a result of
Dubuque's previously-approved participation in the University of Nebraska
Municipal Climate Adaptation project.
• Recommendations to integrate climate adaptation strategies into existing
emergency preparedness plans, including the Dubuque County Hazard
Mitigation Plan.
• Recommendations for additional municipal policies or procedures to increase the
adaptive capacity of the organization.
• Work with the City's Equity Team to identify hazards and threats specific to our
most vulnerable populations.
The Resilient Community Advisory Commission would play a leadership role in these
community conversations.
Second, Sustainable Community Coordinator Cori Burbach has been invited to serve as
a technical advisor for a DART project in a yet to-be-determined community. USDN
grant funds will cover all travel costs associated with the trip. In addition to travel to the
community for the DART, it is estimated that Burbach would spend 15-30 hours on this
project.
BUDGETIMPACT
There is no direct cost to communities to participate in a DART. USDN and AIA cover
all team travel and out of pocket expenses.
REQUESTED ACTION
I respectfully request City Council approval of the attached Dubuque DART application
and permission to participate as a pro bono technical advisor in another community
chosen to receive DART assistance.
2
Dubuque, Iowa
DART Application
1 . Project Summary
A. Project Title: Dubuque Climate Adaptation Roadmap
B. Name of City: Dubuque, Iowa
C. Primary Contact: Cori Burbach
Sustainable Community Coordinator
City of Dubuque
50 W 13th St
Dubuque IA 52001
cburbach(a)cityofdubugue.org
563-690-6038
D. Is community a USDN or USDN regional network member: Dubuque is a USDN
member and a member of the Heartland Regional Sustainability Directors Network.
E. Project Abstract: In 2015, the City of Dubuque led a collaboration to submit the
community's first-ever STAR Communities certification. Dubuque received a 4-STAR
rating, but received some of its lowest scores in the climate adaptation objective.
Dubuque proposes a DART process that will develop a clear climate adaptation
roadmap for the community, one that analyzes vulnerabilities experienced as a result of
climate change, and the impact they can have on the built and natural environment,
economy, and social networks. Specifically, Dubuque aims to build upon existing
community initiatives and frame a climate adaptation strategy with subtopics of public
health and equity/vulnerable populations.
F. Objective of the DART process: A coordinated effort to meet the STAR Climate
Adaptation Vulnerability Reduction outcome, "demonstrate a measurable reduction in
vulnerability in each of four core areas identified locally" is the focus of this DART
application. Dubuque requests DART assistance to develop a roadmap which will be
our guide to incorporate climate adaptation strategies into existing and future plans and
initiatives in our community. We seek assistance to develop climate adaptation
strategies for the Dubuque community using public health and equity lenses, in order to
identify the threats to our most vulnerable populations first.
2. Community Description
A. Dubuque, Iowa is a community of approximately 58,000 located along the bluffs of
the Mississippi River. Dubuque is Iowa's oldest city, and among the oldest settlements
west of the Mississippi. The community has a rich history beginning with Mesquakie
Indians, and was later settled by Julien Dubuque, and Irish and German settlers.
Dubuque takes great pride in the slogan, "Masterpiece on the Mississippi," but such was
not always the case for Dubuque. In the 1980s, the city had double-digit unemployment,
an exodus of residents from the community and the state, struggling downtown
businesses, and disconnected neighborhoods. However, community leaders from the
private and public sectors came together in four community visioning efforts over the
past 20 years that helped change Dubuque.
Since 2006, the City Council has made becoming a more sustainable, resilient
community their Top Priority. The Sustainable Dubuque vision, as identified by a
community task force and endorsed by the Council, is that, "Dubuque is a viable, livable
and equitable community."
B. According to the 2010 US Census,
Total population: 57,637
Median age: 38
Total housing units: 25,029
Median income: $46,148
Racial demographics: Dubuque is a traditionally white community, but has experienced
significant demographics changes in recent years. In 2010, Dubuque's populations was
91 .7% white, 4% black, 2.4% Latino, 1 .1 % Asian, and 0.5% Native Hawaiian and Other
Pacific Islander. However, some neighborhoods are significantly more diverse than the
community as a whole: the Washington Neighborhood is Dubuque's most racially
diverse [41%people of color compared to 9% city-wide] and economically distressed
neighborhood [37% poverty rate compared to 16.2% city-wide].
C. Dubuque operates under a Council-City Manager form of government.
D. Dubuque's city limits include approximately 32 square miles of diverse geography
nestled along the Mississippi River. Dubuque is at the center of an area known as the
Driftless Region, which spans across the upper Midwest, and is known for its deeply
carved river valleys that are a result of having escaped glaciation in the last glacial
period.
Dubuque is centrally located amongst several major metropolitan areas (175 miles to
Chicago; 90 miles to Madison; 200 miles to Des Moines), and is considered the center
of a metropolitan service area (MSA) that includes the seven surrounding counties. It is
one of the largest cities in Iowa, and is surrounded by smaller communities and
agriculture land that make up the remainder of Dubuque County.
E. See the Problem Statement below for additional information on the context for
Dubuque's DART proposal, including how it fits into our recent STAR Communities
certification results.
F. Dubuque is situated at the intersection of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, and has a
strong relationship with East Central Intergovernmental Association, the council of
government responsible for regional transportation, economic development and other
planning efforts, as well as the Dubuque County Emergency Management Authority,
who will play a key role in this project.
G. In 2006 and every year since, Mayor Roy D. Buol and the City Council have
identified becoming a more Sustainable City as one of their top priorities for the
community. The Sustainable Dubuque Task Force identified the Sustainable Dubuque
model as one that balances three pillars: Environmental/Ecological Integrity,
Social/Cultural Vibrancy, and Economic Prosperity. The model is supported by 12
sustainability principles that guide the community's work.
In 2013, to further that vision, the Council adopted the 50% by 2030 Community Climate
Action & Resiliency Plan, laying out a framework to reduce our greenhouse gases 50%
below 2003 levels by 2050. As a result of recommendations in that plan and other
innovative and leading practices, Dubuque had already reduced its GHG emissions five
percent by 2011 .
The City is in the midst of Imagine Dubuque!, a yearlong process to update our
Comprehensive Plan. The process has been focused around the three pillars of the
Sustainable Dubuque model, and a plan will be released by the end of 2017.
Since 2000, the City has experienced six presidential disaster declarations related more
frequent, severe rain events. The 2001 Drainage Basin Master Plan (updated in 2013)
was developed to ensure that efforts to solve flooding problems are efficient, cost-
effective and do not creating flooding issues elsewhere in the community.
3. Problem Statement and Issues Analysis
A. Study area: The entire Dubuque community is the study area proposed. Because
Dubuque is part of the Dubuque County Hazard Mitigation Plan, there will be some
impact on the larger county.
B. Existing barriers: The focus of Dubuque's DART application is to assist the Resilient
Community Advisory Commission, City staff, and partners, in developing a climate
adaptation plan for the community. While some communities are developing stand-
alone adaptation plans, similar to our 50% by 2030 climate mitigation plan, we aim to
imitate communities such as Baltimore, who are integrating climate adaptation into
existing FEMA-required Hazard Mitigation plans. The first barrier, or opportunity, lies in
the fact that climate change affects environmental, economic, and social systems. We
seek DART assistance to develop a roadmap that integrates climate adaptation into
existing plans, to ensure integration into daily work, while also creating an overall
strategy with measurable outcomes in order to track community-wide progress.
The second barrier that has limited Dubuque's ability to address climate adaptation lies
in a lack of understanding of exactly what climate change will look like in the short and
long-term in Dubuque. The attached draft report from the University of Nebraska
Lincoln provides us with appropriately-scaled, quantifiable data for the first time. Now,
we must complete a risk assessment, examining systems, services, and programs to
understand how the anticipated changes will affect our community. This barrier needs
to be addressed in two ways: 1) a series of dialogues with various stakeholder groups to
increase understanding of climate change, and 2) focused working groups who will
identify risks and create plans to address those threats.
C. Most significant resiliency needs: Dubuque's most significant natural hazard threat is
flash flooding related to more frequent, severe rain events. While Dubuque built a
floodwall to protect itself from the Mississippi River in the late 1973, we have
experienced six Presidential disaster declarations since 2000 as a result of(last
groundwater flooding. Additional threats include heat waves, ice storms, and
tornadoes. Stresses that could be exacerbated by these threats include aging
infrastructure, an aging population, and environmental degradation including air and
water pollution.
Within the context of climate adaptation, we propose focusing our community
conversations in two areas: 1) public health, and 2) equity/vulnerable populations.
Given the threats identified above, two things are clear.
First, the effects of climate change in Dubuque will often present themselves as chronic
stressors, not acute events. These stressors will have impacts on public health in our
community, and it is important that multiple partners work together to prepare for and
respond to these threats. For example, if Dubuque begins to experience more frequent
severe temperature days (hot or cold), the required response will include heating and
cooling shelters for those physically impacted by the temperatures. With extended
growing seasons, the Midwest has begun to see increased respritory illnesses
associated with high pollen counts and an increase in vector-borne illnesses.
Second, these public health threats, as well as economic threats, will be experienced
first by our most vulnerable populations. Whether discussing food insecurity of our low-
income residents or the affect of extreme heat on our increasing elder population,
examining climate adaptation through an equity lens is a priority in our community. The
City's Equity Team has recently developed an Equity Toolkit, and we would intend to
pilot the use of that toolkit in this project.
Dubuque has begun to successfully address its flash flooding threat. The Bee Branch
Watershed Flood Mitigation Project was developed to mitigate flooding in four ways:
reduced flow of floodwaters, reduced volume of floodwaters, increased floodwater
conveyance capacity through watershed, and create barriers between critical facilities
and floodwaters. Currently under construction, the $200+ million project will prevent
over $582 million in flood-related property damage over the life of the improvements.
The BBWFMP involves the daylighting of 4,500 feet of buried storm sewer and installing
240 green alleys in the watershed to reduce the risk of flash flooding to private and
public property. The BBWFMP will restore the creek from a buried storm sewer devoid
of aquatic life and wildlife, to a stream and linear park capable of sustaining biodiversity.
The restored creek will include a hike/bike trail, rain garde ns/bioswa les, walking paths,
lighting, benches, pervious pavement, an amphitheater, and over 1 ,000 trees and other
plantings.
D. Strategic areas of focus. Dubuque seeks DART assistance to develop a roadmap
that will define our climate adaptation planning process in order to meet the
commitments made when Mayor Roy D. Buol joined the Compact of Mayors. Within
three years, Dubuque must identify climate hazards, assess vulnerabilities, develop
climate adaptation plan(s), and identify measurable outcomes that show we are
addressing the impacts of climate change.
Short-term strategies that the DART can assist with include:
1 . Review existing data regarding climate change. Host public dialogues and
stakeholder group meetings to discuss hazards and vulnerabilities.
2. Review UNL climate adaptation report. Guide stakeholder groups through risk
assessment to identify implications to various systems, programs, and practices.
3. Review existing emergency preparedness plans, making recommendations to
integrate climate adaptation strategies into those documents.
4. Work with the City's Equity Team and Inclusive Dubuque partners to integrate
the Equity Toolkit into the strategies identified above.
Additional DART assistance may help City staff and Resilient Community Advisory
Commission members develop a roadmap that will help us implement medium to long-
term actions:
1 . Fully integrate climate adaptation into Hazard Mitigation Plan.
2. Prioritize municipal policies and procedures to increase the adaptive capacity
of the organization.
3. Develop community dialogues and other public education initiatives to foster
ongoing communication regarding climate adaptation.
4. Identify outcomes to be integrated into the City's performance measurement
system in order to measure progress towards becoming a more resilient
community.
The above strategies will be focused at the citywide level. The initiative will be led by
the Sustainable Community Coordinator and newly-formed Resilient Community
Advisory Commission. The purpose of the Commission includes: to review research
and data in order to provide input on prevention preparedness, and recovery from
potential economic, environmental, and social/cultural vulnerabilities; to review policy
and program recommendations in order to influence resilient outcomes for the
community; to educate and engage the public on commission priories; and to provide
input on and review strategies to address identified vulnerabilities in collaboration with
city staff, other commissions, and community partners. The Commission has recently
met for the first time, and the DART process will be an important first step that can
guide their future work on resiliency and climate adaptation in the community.
While invitations will be extended to various stakeholder groups (e.g. emergency
preparedness officials, public health staff, non-profit service providers,
environmentalists), we also intend to include a strong community engagement
component that seeks input from those likely to be most impacted by climate change.
We will partner with Inclusive Dubuque and other neighborhood non-profits to include
those residents in our efforts.
4. Logistical Requirements
A. Community outreach: Sustainable Dubuque was built on a strong foundation of
community engagement and outreach. The City of Dubuque and its partners will utilize
local media, email listservs, social media, cable access TV, and other avenues to invite
residents and businesses to participate in the DART process, as well as share the
results of the project.
In 2016, over 200 individuals provided input as part of a community engagement
process to form the Resilient Community Advisory Commission. The Commission
began meeting in March 2017, and will be the primary group responsible for collecting
community input for the DART. In addition to participating in the DART process, the
RCAC members will utilize the data and resident input collected to inform future
Commission agendas and priorities.
B. Venue: The City is able to secure a variety of appropriate venues for public events.
Care will be taken to choose venues that are accessible for all members of the public,
and locations that take into account traditionally non-engaged populations (e.g. located
along public transit routes) will be prioritized.
C. Working space: A conference room and required technology is available in the same
building as the Sustainable Community Coordinator's office.
D. Commitment from Mayor, City Manager, and City Council: In 2015, Mayor Buol
signed a commitment to join the Covenant of Mayors, which includes a commitment to
develop a climate adaptation plan within three years. This project will aid in the City's
movement towards this commitment, and the Mayor will be in attendance. The City
Manager, City Council members, and key department heads will also participate in the
workshops.
5. Community and Educational Partners
Sustainable Dubuque is citizen-created and community-led vision. Colleges, nonprofits,
businesses, neighborhood associations, public agencies, are engaged in implementing
the vision, and will be actively engaged in the DART workshops and follow-up.
Key agencies and organizations involved in the DART will include:
A. Dubuque County Emergency Management Authority (Tom Berger, Director). In 2017,
relevant partners, led by Dubuque County Emergency Management Authority Director
Tom Berger, will update the County's Hazard Mitigation Plan. Since completing the
STAR Communities certification, City staff have been exploring opportunities to
integrate climate vulnerabilities into the plan. The DART process will develop an
intentional framework to do so.
B. Dubuque County Wellness Coalition (Mary Rose Corrigan, City of Dubuque Public
Health Specialist; and Patrice Lambert, Dubuque County Public Health Executive
Director, Co-Chairs): Ms. Corrigan and Ms. Lambert will coordinate participation of local
health care providers and others involved in the Dubuque County Wellness Coalition.
C. Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (Nancy Van Milligen, President & CEO).
The CFGD has played a significant role in Dubuque's sustainability and resiliency
efforts, and is part of The Funders' Network's Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency &
Emergency Partnership. The CFGD is particularly interested in assisting non-profits
and service providers in preparing for and responding to emergencies. The CFGD also
staffs the Inclusive Dubuque network, and will actively engage in the DART process by
providing an equity focus to our work.
D. Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD): Non-profits from across the
community meet regularly to identify collective impact strategies to assist government
organizations in times of disaster. Most recently, several VOAD members have
expressed interest in working together to review threats to our most socially vulnerable
populations, and reviewing climate-related threats to our community.
D. Green Dubuque (Paul Schultz, President). Green Dubuque is a 501c3 non-profit
committed to addressing global environmental challenges in the Dubuque area with
grassroots advocacy, collective action, and science-based resources which support
transparency, accountability and citizen empowerment. Green Dubuque has long been
a partner in the community's sustainability work, and will work with the City to host
community engagement opportunities as part of the DART.
E. Local colleges: While not home to a large state school, Dubuque is, indeed, a
"college town". Loras College, Clarke University, the University of Dubuque, and
Northeast Iowa Community College all call Dubuque home, and all play an active roll in
Dubuque's sustainability and resiliency initiatives. Representatives from each of the
college's sustainability teams meet regularly to share best practices and discuss how
students and faculty can play an active roll in the larger community's sustainability
efforts.
Green teams from each of the colleges will be invited to participate in the DART.
Students from Clarke University's nursing/public health program, University of
Dubuque's science programs, and Loras College's honors programs have ongoing
working relationships with City staff, and are expected to play an active role.
Additionally, the City of Dubuque currently has projects underway with the University of
Iowa Iowa Flood Center and Iowa State University's Community Design program, who is
working on an urban agriculture initiative. We expect to share the DART process with
those working teams, and look for ways to integrate the results of the process into their
work.
6. Communication and Media Outreach Plan The Sustainable Dubuque office has an
active community and media presence, and will utilize press releases, email listsery
(1200 subscribers), facebook (820 followers), and other outreach avenues to spread the
word about DART workshops and events. The Sustainable Community Coordinator
also hosts the Sustainability Today show on the City's cable access TV station, and will
incorporate the workshops and follow-up actions into an upcoming episode.
The City's Public Information Officer manages the City's communication efforts, and will
utilized utility bill inserts, newsletters, Twitter (3,000+ followers), facebook (1 ,800+
followers), and other avenues to share information regarding the events.
Finally, the Sustainable Community Coordinator will work with partner organizations to
share information about the events with their respective audiences.
7. DART Project Timeline
City sustainability and planning staff will participate in the University of Nebraska-
Lincoln "Utilizing Climate Data to Inform Municipal Planning and Increase Resilience"
workshop in March 2017. Ideally, the DART process would be implemented over the
late summer to early fall, so that the UNL report would be available as a data source,
and the recommendations from the DART could inform the Dubuque County Hazard
Mitigation Plan process, which must be approved by spring 2018. However, the
recommendations that come from the DART process will inform a long-term strategy
that integrates climate adaptation into multiple community planning processes, including
the City Council's annual strategic planning process, the Comprehensive Plan, and the
Hazard Mitigation Plan.
8. Supplemental Documents
Attachments & supplemental information
A. STAR Communities rating overview (attached)
B. DRAFT Dubuque UNL Climate Data report (attached)
C. 50% by 2030 Community Climate Action & Resiliency Plan:
www.citvofdubuque.orq/50bv2030
D. Sustainable Dubuque case statement booklet (attached)