The preferred approach is a Buyout of all Properties. For more information regarding the downtown evaluation, continue reading below. Draper is comprised of 98 large lot residential properties, 64 of which are located below 250m, with 34 above. During the 2016 Horse River Wildfire, 33 homes were impacted, 9 of which have rebuilt. During the post-fire recovery period, greater awareness was placed on geotechnical concerns that are present along the hillside. During the 2020 flood, 51 properties were impacted. No structural mitigation has been formally considered. Key Points No structural flood mitigation is planned for this community. Flood mitigation around built-up areas is estimated to cost $118 million. Population is 187 as of the 2018 Census and consists of 98 private properties. 64 private properties (65% of the total) are below the 250m elevation, of which 34 are developed. 34 private properties (35% of the total) are above the 250m elevation, of which 28 are developed. 33 private properties (34%) were affected during the Horse River Wildfire, of which 9 have rebuilt (9%). Proposed Approach for Draper The preferred approach is a community-wide buyout of all properties. This option may be considered for the following reasons: It is the safest solution from a life-safety perspective. If the area was not bought out, not only would residents be trapped during a future 1:100 or higher flood event (Draper Road would be covered by water and impassable), but first responders would have difficulty accessing properties and would be putting their own lives in danger if the need to access a flooded property arose. While a full buyout would cost a minimum of $60.4 million based on 2020 assessed values, the cost would be significantly offset by the $32 million saved by not proceeding with the Draper portion of the Rural Water Sewer Servicing project (which will be introducing services to Draper at a cost of $27 million, plus $5 million for providing private connections). This cost-saving would not be realized if only the properties below 250m were bought out, as 34 remaining properties would still have to be serviced. The buyout would also be entirely offset by the cost savings realized by not providing flood mitigation. It is impractical to provide property-specific protection (such as ring dykes around homes), making a berm protecting larger groups of homes the only viable option. This collection of berms carries a significant estimated cost of nearly $118 million. The RMWB need not proceed with a community gathering place, budgeted at $300,000. Draper is also characterized by homes that are built upon and near a slope with geotechnical concerns. A buyout of not only flood-hazard lands but also properties on steep slopes would eliminate more than just risks from flood, but also slope failure. The proposed policy for Draper is to remove all people and property from the area thus completely avoiding the hazard, maximizing disaster risk reduction, and increasing community resilience over the long-term. Potential future uses may include naturalization of the area, or pursuit of agricultural activities throughout the floodplain, as Draper is the RMWB’s only source of fertile, farmable land. With residential properties no longer in the area, land use conflicts would be minimized. What degree of residual risk remains from overland flooding? Little residual risk remains, as private properties and structures have been removed from the flood hazard area. Residual risks would be limited to remediation of any low-impact uses that may be established. What was the cost of the risk reduction? Achieving this risk reduction carries no additional cost to taxpayers, owing to the cost-savings realized by not providing flood protection, and not proceeding with capital projects. This does not include the cost of procuring land for a land swap, as this is an optional step which may or may not be pursued; it therefore does not affect the evaluation of this risk treatment. Reclamation costs are estimated to be about $16 million, but a significant portion (nearly $5 million) includes grading and landscaping. These costs would depend on the future use of the area and may not need to be accounted for if the area is allowed to return to its natural state. What new risks (if any) are generated by the risk treatment? No new risks are anticipated by buying out the area. Discussion Points within this forum: Do you agree that a Buyout of all Properties is the best solution for Draper? Why or why not? Have you talked to your neighbours about your preferred approach? What did they say? Were you in agreement? From your perspective, is there anything that you feel was missed in the evaluation (found in the report here)? How do you feel about relocation? Would you stay in the region if your home was bought out? Would you prefer that a new community be formed, or would you prefer to move to an existing home in region?