Draft Environmental Assessment - Cedar Rapids Animal Care and Control, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (FEMA 1763-DR-IA)

Pursuant to Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5172), as amended, the City of Cedar Rapids (aka "Sub-Applicant") requested funding through FEMA's Public Assistance Program. FEMA's Public Assistance Program provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance to State, Tribal, and local governments, and certain types of Private Nonprofit Voluntary Agencies so that communities can respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. The Public Assistance Program has rules whereby eligible Sub-Applicants may choose to use eligible, though capped, recovery funds for alternate or improved projects that may be more beneficial to the Sub-Applicant than what existed prior to the disaster event. Cedar River floodwaters completely inundated and severely damaged the Animal Control Shelter at 1401 Cedar Bend Lane SW in Cedar Rapids. The functional use of the 31.10 acres, 5,010 square foot facility was compromised and the facility was permanently closed. The facility, circa 1961, is owned and maintained by the Sub-Applicant, City of Cedar Rapids (GPN: 15322-26001-00000). The original facility function was waste water treatment until converted for animal care and control. Animal Control Shelter consists of four (4) structures: Main Building (GPS: 41.96199, -91.57838), Kennel Building (GPS: 41.96170, -91.57796), Cat Building (GPS: 41.96181, -91.57802), and West (aka Quarantine) Building (GPS: 41.96186, -91.57893). Main, Cat, and West buildings were eligible and approved for permanent relocation by FEMA. Presently a temporary animal shelter is operated at 2109 North Towne Lane NE in Cedar Rapids. Animal Control Shelter annually cares, controls, and houses 3,000 animals from the cities of Cedar Rapids and Marion. Temporary shelter is located in an 8,676 square foot industrial warehouse facility (1.33 acres lot) in a commercial zone. This facility will be utilized until the permanent shelter is constructed. The purpose of the improved project is to assist the citizens of Cedar Rapids and Linn County toward their recovery and return to normalcy from the 2008 flooding. FEMA's Public Assistance Program will contribute eligible funding toward demolishing and debris removal of the original damaged facility and constructing a new Animal Control Shelter to restore and improve the pre-disaster animal care and control facility functions. Proposed site for the new Animal Control Shelter is on a vacant parcel (2.5 acres) located on the Kirkwood Community College (KCC) campus in Cedar Rapids. KCC site (GPS: 41.90611, -91.64722) is located on an unnamed road between 76th Avenue Drive SW to the south and Tower Road SW to the north. The site is adjacent to Washington Hall to the west, Mansfield Swine Education Center to the south, two waste water lagoons to the east, and vacant / open agricultural lands to the east of proposed site. The proposed improved project designs all facilities into one (1) building and increases the original facility footprint from 5,010 square feet to 16,000 square feet (13,800 square feet of usable space) and would integrate learning opportunities for KCC students with the addition of new classroom space for campus use. Animal Control Shelter is not a critical facility by definition; however it does serve a vital community service for short-term and long-term animal care and control. Presently the original facility does not meet minimum flood protection levels to fulfill community needs during flooding events. The need is to relocate and replace facilities, equipment, and functions to a new site outside of the 100-year floodplain in order to restore local animal care and control functions to reduce the facility susceptibility from repetitive flood damage and ensure animal safety and welfare. If Animal Control Shelter is not relocated to a new permanent site, the long-term ability to shelter and care for wayward animals would be jeopardized.