HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-12-05 J01F Dallas Co Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation 2022AGENDA ITEM:
CITY OF WAUKEE, IOWA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING COMMUNICATION
MEETING DATE: December 5, 2022
AGENDA ITEM:Consideration of adoption of the Dallas County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard
Mitigation Plan
FORMAT:Consent Agenda
SYNOPSIS INCLUDING PRO & CON: The Dallas County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation
Plan is reviewed and adopted every five years, per federal regulation. The
purpose of the mitigation plan is to lessen the effects of disasters by increasing
the disaster resistance of the region and participating jurisdictions located
within the planning boundary by identifying the hazards that affect the City of
Waukee and prioritize mitigation strategies to reduce potential loss of life and
property damage from those hazards.
FISCAL IMPACT INCLUDING COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS: There is no cost to the adoption.
The adoption is a requirement to request funds from FEMA in the event of
certain disasters. Adopting the plan can facilitate receiving federal assistance.
COMMISSION/BOARD/COMMITTEE COMMENT:
STAFF REVIEW AND COMMENT: Public works and the Fire Department were involved in
updating City of Waukee information and planning for the mitigation
document.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve the resolution.
ATTACHMENTS: I. Proposed Resolution
PREPARED BY: Fire Chief Clint Robinson
REVIEWED BY:
PUBLIC NOTICE INFORMATION –
NAME OF PUBLICATION:
DATE OF PUBLICATION:
J1F
THE CITY OF WAUKEE, IOWA
RESOLUTION 2022-
ADOPTING THE AMENDMENT TO THE DALLAS COUNTY
MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
IN THE NAME AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF WAUKEE, IOWA
WHEREAS, the City of Waukee, Iowa is a duly organized municipality within Dallas County;
AND,
WHEREAS, the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 was signed into law on October 30,
2000, placing new emphasis on state and local mitigation planning for natural hazards and
requiring communities to adopt a hazard mitigation action plan to be eligible for pre-disaster and
post-disaster federal funding for mitigation purposes; AND,
WHEREAS, a Hazard Mitigation Plan was prepared by the Dallas County Emergency
Management Agency, with assistance from JEO Consulting Group, Inc. of Lincoln, NE; AND,
WHEREAS, the purpose of the mitigation plan was to lessen the effects of disasters by
increasing the disaster resistance of the region and participating jurisdictions located within the
planning boundary by identifying the hazards that affect the City of Waukee and prioritize
mitigation strategies to reduce potential loss of life and property damage from those hazards;
AND,
WHEREAS, FEMA regulations require documentation that the plan has been formally adopted
by the governing body of the City of Waukee in the form of a resolution and further requesting
approval of the plan at the Federal Level; AND,
NOW, THEREFORE, the governing body of the City of Waukee does herewith adopt the
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update in its entirety.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 5th day of December, 2022.
____________________________
Courtney Clarke, Mayor
Attest:
___________________________________
Rebecca D. Schuett, City Clerk
RESULTS OF VOTE: AYE NAY ABSENT ABSTAIN
Anna Bergman Pierce
R. Charles Bottenberg
Chris Crone
Larry R. Lyon
Ben Sinclair
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 1
Community Profile
City of Waukee
Dallas County
Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
2 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
Local Planning Team
Table WAU.1: Waukee Local Planning Team
Name Title Jurisdiction
Rudy Koester Public Works Director City of Waukee, IA
Clint Robinson Fire Chief City of Waukee, IA
John Quinn Police Chief City of Waukee, IA
Brad Deets City Administrator City of Waukee, IA
Location and Geography
The City of Waukee is located in southeast Dallas County and covers an area of 20.96 square
miles. Major waterways in the area include Sugar Creek, Fox Creek, and Walnut Creek.
Demographics
Waukee’s population in 2020 was 23,940. The following figure displays the historical population
trend from 1880 to 2020. This figure indicates that the population of Waukee remained relatively
stable from 1880 to 1960, saw significant growth from 1960 to 2000, then increased dramatically
from 2000 to 2020. Increasing populations are associated with increased hazard mitigation and
emergency planning requirements for development. Increasing populations can also contribute to
increasing tax revenues, allowing communities to pursue additional mitigation projects. Waukee’s
population accounted for 24% of Dallas County’s population in 2020.1
Figure WAU.1: Population 1880 - 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
1 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171): P1: Race.” https://data.census.gov.
245 240 292 340 375 445 473 501 687 1,577 2,227
2,512
5,126
13,790
23,940
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Po
p
u
l
a
t
i
o
n
Year
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 3
Figure WAU.2: City of Waukee
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 4
The young, elderly, and minority populations may be more vulnerable to certain hazards than
other groups. Looking at Waukee’s population:
• 16.9% is non-white. Since 2010, Waukee became more racially diverse. In 2010, 6.1%
of the Waukee’s population was non-white. By 2020, 16.9% was non-white.2 3
• 34 median age. The median age of Waukee was 34 years old in 2020. The population
grew older since 2010, when the median age was 31.4.4 5
Figure WAU.3: Population by Age Cohort and Sex (2020)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau4
The figure above shows Waukee’s population percentage broken down by sex and five-year age
groups. Waukee’s population is younger with a higher percentage of the population below 40
years of age. This likely indicates a growing population in the years to come.
2 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171): P1: Race.” https://data.census.gov.
3 United States Census Bureau. “2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171): P1: Race.” https://data.census.gov.
4 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: S0101: Age and Sex.” https://data.census.gov.
5 United States Census Bureau. “2010 Census Bureau American Community Survey: S0101: Age and Sex.” https://data.census.gov.
14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Under 5
5 to 9
10 to 14
15 to 19
20 to 24
25 to 29
30 to 34
35 to 39
40 to 44
45 to 49
50 to 54
55 to 59
60 to 64
65 to 69
70 to 74
75 to 79
80 to 84
85 & Over
Percentage of the Population
Ye
a
r
s
Female %Male %
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 5
Employment and Economics
Low-income populations, long distance commuters, and the unemployed may be more vulnerable
to certain hazards than other groups. Waukee’s population has:
• 3.3% of people living below the poverty line. The poverty rate (3.3%) in Waukee was
lower than the state’s poverty rate (11.1%) in 2020. 6
• $94,371 median household income. Waukee’s median household income in 2020
($94,371) was about $32,500 higher than the state ($61,836). 7
• 3.2% unemployment rate. In 2020 Waukee had a lower unemployment rate (3.2%)
compared to the state (3.9%).8
• 21% of workers commuted 30 minutes or more to work. Fewer workers in Waukee
commuted 30 minutes or more to work than workers commuting less than 15 minutes
(21% compared to 29.2%).9
Major Employers
Major employers for the city include Hy-Vee, Waukee Community School District, Holmes Murphy
& Associates, Waukee Family YMCA, Access Systems, Gilcrest Jewett Lumber Co., Stivers Ford,
Quad Graphics, Fleet Farm, and the City of Waukee. According to the local planning team, a large
percentage of residents commute to other communities or work, such as Des Moines, West Des
Moines, Clive, and Ankeny.
Housing
The age of housing may indicate which housing units were built prior to the development of state
building codes. Vacant housing stock may also be more vulnerable to hazard events if it is poorly
maintained. Unoccupied housing may also suggest that future development may be less likely to
occur. Communities with a substantial number of mobile homes may be more vulnerable to the
impacts of high winds, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms if those homes are not anchored
correctly. Renter-occupied housing depends on the initiative of landlords for proper maintenance
and retrofitting to be resilient to disasters. They are less likely than homeowners to have flood
insurance, or to know their risks to flooding and other hazards.
• 6.5% of housing built prior to 1970. Waukee has a smaller share of housing built prior
to 1970 than the state (6.5% compared to 50.4%).10
• 4.6% of housing units vacant. Since 2010, Waukee’s vacancy rate increased. In 2010
the vacancy rate was 2.2%. By 2020, 4.6% of housing units were vacant. 11 12
6 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
7 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
8 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
9 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: S0802: Means of Transportation to Work by
Selected Characteristics.” https://data.census.gov.
10 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
11 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
12 United States Census Bureau. “2010 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
6 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
• 4.9% mobile and manufactured housing. The City of Waukee had a greater share of
mobile and manufactured housing (4.9%) compared to the state (3.6%).13
• 25.7% renter-occupied. The rental rate of Waukee was 25.7% in 2020. The percentage
increased since 2010, when renter occupied housing was at 12.9%.14 15
In the center of the city, approximately 400 mobile home units are located within one general area.
This area is surrounded by SE Laurel St., SE Olson Dr., SE Cardinal Ln., and SE Westgate Dr.
Governance
A community’s governance indicates the number of boards or offices that may be available to
help implement hazard mitigation actions. Waukee has a mayor, a five-member city council, and
the following offices.
• City Administrator
• City Clerk
• City Attorney (private firm contracted)
• Assistant City Administrator
• Chief of Police
• Fire Chief
• Public Works Director
• Human Resources Director
• Water/Wastewater Superintendent
• Streets Superintendent
• Building Official
• Economic Development Director
• Electric Department Superintendent
• Finance Director
• Library Director
• Parks and Recreation Director
• GIS Coordinator
• Community Development Director
• Information Technology Director
• Marketing and Communications Director
Capability Assessment
The capability assessment consisted of a Capability Assessment Survey completed by the
jurisdiction and a review of local existing policies, regulations, plans, and the programs. The
survey is used to gather information regarding the jurisdiction’s planning and regulatory capability;
administrative and technical capability; fiscal capability; and educational and outreach capability.
13 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
14 United States Census Bureau. “2020 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
15 United States Census Bureau. “2010 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics.”
https://data.census.gov.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 7
Table WAU.2: Capability Assessment
Survey Components/Subcomponents Yes/No
Planning
&
Regulatory
Capability
Comprehensive Plan Yes
Capital Improvements Plan Yes
Economic Development Plan Yes
Emergency Operations Plan Yes
Floodplain Management Plan No
Storm Water Management Plan Yes
Zoning Ordinance Yes
Subdivision Regulation/Ordinance Yes
Floodplain Ordinance Yes
Building Codes Yes
National Flood Insurance Program Yes
Community Rating System No
Other (if any)
Administrative
&
Technical
Capability
Planning Commission Yes
Floodplain Administration Yes
GIS Capabilities Yes
Chief Building Official Yes
Civil Engineering Yes
Local Staff Who Can Assess Community’s
Vulnerability to Hazards Yes
Grant Manager No
Mutual Aid Agreement Yes
Other (if any)
Fiscal
Capability
Capital Improvement Plan/ 1 & 6 Year Plan Yes
Applied for grants in the past Yes
Awarded a grant in the past Yes
Authority to Levy Taxes for Specific Purposes such
as Mitigation Projects Yes
Gas/Electric Service Fees Yes
Storm Water Service Fees Yes
Water/Sewer Service Fees Yes
Development Impact Fees Yes
General Obligation Revenue or Special Tax Bonds Yes
Other (if any)
Education
&
Outreach
Capability
Local citizen groups or non-profit organizations
focused on environmental protection, emergency
preparedness, access and functional needs
populations, etc.
Ex. CERT Teams, Red Cross, etc.
No
Ongoing public education or information program
(e.g., responsible water use, fire safety, household
preparedness, environmental education)
Yes
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
8 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
Survey Components/Subcomponents Yes/No
Natural Disaster or Safety related school programs No
StormReady Certification No
Firewise Communities Certification No
Tree City USA No
Other (if any)
Table WAU.3: Overall Capability
Overall Capability Limited/Moderate/High
Financial resources needed to implement mitigation projects Moderate
Staff/expertise to implement projects Limited
Community support to implement projects Moderate
Time to devote to hazard mitigation Limited
Plan Integration
The City of Waukee has several planning documents that discuss or relate to hazard mitigation.
Each plan is listed below along with a short description of how it is integrated with the hazard
mitigation plan. The city will seek out and evaluate any opportunities to integrate the results of the
current hazard mitigation plan into other planning mechanisms and updates.
Funding and Grants
The City of Waukee’s funds are sufficient to pursue new capital projects. With rapid city growth,
the city must prioritize capital projects that increase the city’s capacity. A large portion of city funds
are dedicated to capital projects within the Public Works department including the sewer system,
water system, streets, and storm water system. Municipal funds have increased with population
growth in the city. Drainage improvements to the intersection of LA Grant and Booth Avenue are
identified hazard mitigation plans that have already been completed using municipal funds.
Waukee has applied for a variety of grants, some of them being the Destination Iowa Grant, Dallas
County Foundation Grant, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau Grants, and the State of Iowa
Fireworks Safety Grant. The city has been awarded some of these grants including Dallas County
Foundation Grant, TSIP, ICAAP, STBG, U-STEP, and STBG-TAP.
Building Codes (2018)
The building code sets standards for constructed buildings and structures. The city follows the
2018 versions of the International Building Code, International Residential Code, and International
Fire Code as adopted by the State of Nebraska with some local amendments. The local
amendments are targeted to strengthen the structural side of buildings for winds and snow loads.
Amendments relative to storm shelters is consistent with geographic regional levels of tornadic
activity. Amendments specific to shaft enclosures increase resiliency to stairwell shafts for egress.
Other amendments correlate IBC and IFC amendments for alignment.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 9
Comprehensive Plan (2018)
The comprehensive plan is designed to guide the future actions and growth of the city. The city’s
plan contains goals aimed at Safe Growth. Some of the city’s goals outlined in the plan include:
limit density in areas adjacent to known hazardous areas, encourage infill development,
encourage “clustering of development” in sensitive areas, and encourage preservation of open
space in hazard-prone areas. The city updates the plan every 5 to 10 years to ensure previously
adopted goals are still in alignment with current community goals. The next comprehensive plan
update will include reference to the hazard mitigation plan and consider an analysis for areas
without proper storm shelters.
Capital Improvement Plan (2022)
The capital improvement plan outlines large purchases and projects that the city would like to
pursue. Projects identified various storm water focused projects including upsizing of culverts and
drainage structures, regular maintenance for drainage structures, upgrading storm sewer
systems, and improving transportation routes for drainage. The plan also identifies widening
roadways that would improve evacuations as a top project. Water distribution focused projects
identified in the plan include installing new municipal wells, upsizing water distribution pipes, and
installing water meters for residential structures. Construction projects identified in the plan
include installing emergency generators in critical facilities, constructing a new fire hall and
improving the existing hall, constructing a new police headquarters, improving the existing public
works facility, and construction and improving other community owned structures. The City of
Waukee’s Capital Improvement Plan is projected out seven fiscal years and is updated annually.
Zoning Ordinance (2022), Floodplain Ordinance (2022), Subdivision Regulations
(2021)
The Floodplain Management Ordinance of the City of Waukee is currently being updated in late
2022 to ensure references to the new floodplain maps that will become effective in late 2022. The
update will ensure the code meets minimum state and federal requirements to maintain our
eligibility to participate in NFIP. The current Floodplain Ordinance contains floodplain maps and
discourages development in the floodplain. They do not limit population density or require more
than one foot of elevation above Base Flood Elevation in the floodplain. The Subdivision
Regulations of Waukee restrict subdivision of land within or adjacent to the floodplain and do not
allow density transfers in hazard areas.
Water System Emergency Response Plan (2022)
Water system emergency response plans ensure the drinking water systems that serve the City
of Waukee are prepared to supply customers with drinking water in the event of an emergency. It
includes identifying potential emergencies and how the utility will ensure water delivery in specific
scenarios.
Wellhead Protection Plan (2021)
The purpose of wellhead protection plans is to protect the public drinking water supply wells from
contamination. It includes identifying potential sources of groundwater contamination in the area.
Future Development Trends
In the last five years, there have been significant residential and commercial growth with
numerous residential, commercial, and road development projects having been completed. Of the
new development, one project was constructed within a floodplain, a roadway embankment
constructed for NW Douglas Parkway between NW 10th St. and NW 2nd St. was determined to be
classified as a dam by the Iowa DNR due to the amount of water impounded. The city has
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
10 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
numerous single and multi-family housing developments in the planning and construction phases.
These developments are in several areas of the city but are primarily located in the North, West,
and South corporate limits. Several commercial development projects are also planned with most
concentrated along the Grand Prairie Parkway and Hickman Road corridors. A future land use
map for the city can be seen in the following figure.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 11
Figure WAU.4: Future Land Use Map
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 12
Community Lifelines
Transportation
Waukee’s major transportation corridors include Interstate 80, U.S. Highway 6, Alice’s Road, and
Grand Prairie Parkway. The most traveled route is Highway 6, with an average of 25,800 vehicles
daily, 958 of which are trucks.16 No chemical spills have occurred locally. Infrequent closures of
Interstate 80 due to weather or traffic accidents cause significant volumes of traffic detouring
through the community. Two critical facilities are located along main transportation routes,
including the Town Border Station No. 1 located at the intersection of W Hickman Road and NW
10th Street, and the Alice’s Road Gas Regulator Station located near the intersection of SE Alice’s
Road and SE Olson Drive. Waukee has one rail line, the Union Pacific Railroad, located in the
southeast portion of the city. The nearest airport, the Des Moines International Airport, is located
about 12 miles southeast of Waukee. Transportation information is important to hazard mitigation
plans because it suggests possible evacuation corridors in the community, as well as areas more
at risk of transportation incidents.
Hazardous Materials
There are gas transmission pipelines that travel in and near the city and can be seen as blue lines
in the figure below.
16 Iowa Department of Transportation. 2020. "Iowa Traffic Data". Accessed May 2022.
https://iowadot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=0cce99afb78e4d3b9b24f8263717f910.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 13
Figure WAU.5: Pipelines
Source: National Pipeline Mapping System17
According to the Tier II System reports submitted to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources,
there are nine chemical storage sites in Waukee that contain hazardous chemicals. In the event
of a chemical spill, the local fire department and emergency response may be the first to respond
to the incident.
17 National Pipeline Mapping System. 2022. “Public Viewer.” Accessed April 2022. https://pvnpms.phmsa.dot.gov/PublicViewer/.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
14 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
Table WAU.4: Chemical Storage Sites
Facility Name Address Located in Floodplain?
3079 CSC Waukee 605 University Avenue No
CenturyLink - Waukee CO 645 Walnut Street No
Heartland Co-op Waukee 529 Ashworth Drive No
Heartland Co-op Waukee Bulk Plant 104 Ashworth Drive No
MidAmerican Energy-Raccoon Trail
Substation
2573 West Hickman
Road No
OneNeck IT Solutions 390 NE Alices Road No
QG Printing II LLC 400 Deming Avenue No
Waukee 1255 3rd Street No
Waukee Public Works 805 University Avenue No
Source: Iowa Department of Natural Resources 18
Health and Medical Facilities
The following medical and health facilities are located within the community
Table WAU.5: Health and Medical Facilities
Name Type of
Facility Address Number of
Beds
Independence Village of Waukee
Nursing/Skilled
Nursing
Facility
1645 SE Holiday
Crest Circle 48
Independence Village of Waukee AL Assisted Living 1654 SE Holiday
Crest Circle 80
Independence Village of Waukee MC Assisted Living 1505 SE Laurel
Street 32
Source: Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals19
Critical Facilities
The local planning team identified critical facilities that are vital for disaster response, public
shelter, and essential for returning the jurisdiction’s functions to normal during and after a disaster
per the FEMA Community Lifelines guidance. Critical facilities were identified during the original
planning process and updated by the local planning team as a part of this plan update. The
following table and figure provide a summary of the critical facilities for the jurisdiction.
Table WAU.6: Critical Facilities
CF
# Name Mass Care
(Y/N)
Generator
(Y/N)
Floodplain
(Y/N)
1 First Steps Child Care Center N N N
2 Joyful Noise PS & CC N N N
3 Kids Co Preschool & Child N N N
4 Little Wonders N N N
5 New Beginnings Childcare N N N
18 Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 2022. "Emergency Response - Tier II Chemical Storage." Accessed April 2022.
https://facilityexplorer.iowadnr.gov/facilityexplorer/.
19 Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. "Direct Care Worker Registry & Health Facility Database." Accessed April 2022.
https://dia-hfd.iowa.gov/.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 15
CF
# Name Mass Care
(Y/N)
Generator
(Y/N)
Floodplain
(Y/N)
6 Point Of Grace Academy N N N
7 Wee Warriors N N N
8 Westside Kids N N N
9 Waukee City Hall N N N
10 Waukee Community Center N N N
11 Waukee Public Works Building N Y N
12 Waukee Public Library N N N
13 Hy-Vee E Hickman N N N
14 Waukee Family YMCA N N N
15 Iowa Clinic NE Dartmoor N N N
16 Iowa Orthodontic Solutions N N N
17 Mercy Clinic W Hickman N N N
18 Unity Point Clinic N N N
19 Waukee Medical Park N N N
20 Waukee Pediatrics N N N
21 Waukee Fire Station #91/Waukee
Police Department N Y N
22 Abundant Life Church Of Waukee N N N
23 Church Of Latter-Day Saints N N N
24 Immanuel Lutheran Church N N N
25 Saint Boniface Catholic Church N N N
26 Waukee Baptist Church N N N
27 Waukee Christian Church N N N
28 Westview Church N N N
29 Westwind Church N N N
30 Alice Place Apartments N N N
31 Thomas Place At Waukee N N N
32 Village At Legacy Pointe N Y N
33 Village At Legacy Pointe Memory Care N N N
34 United Methodist Church N N N
35 Eason Elementary School N N N
36 Grant Ragan Elementary School N N N
37 Prairieview School N N N
38 South Middle School N N N
39 Timberline School N N N
40 Vince Meyer Learning Center N N N
41 Waukee Elementary School N N N
42 Waukee High School N N N
43 Waukee Middle School N N N
44 Waukee School District Administration
Office N N N
45 Waukee Stadium N N N
46 Alice’s Rd. Natural Gas Regulator
Station – 555 SE Alice’s Rd. N N N
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
16 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
CF
# Name Mass Care
(Y/N)
Generator
(Y/N)
Floodplain
(Y/N)
47 Northern Natural Gas Facility – Town
Border Station No. 1 – 90 NW 10th St. N N N
48 Heartland Co-Op - Waukee N N N
49 Quad/Graphics Holding Company N N N
50 Waukee Lift Station #2 N Y N
51 Waukee Lift Station #3 & #16 N Y N
52 Waukee Lift Station #4 N Y N
53 Waukee Lift Station #6 N Y N
54 Waukee Lift Station #7 N Y N
55 Waukee Lift Station #11 N Y N
56 Waukee/Xenia Shared Pump Station @
LP Moon N Y N
57 Waukee Water Tower N N N
58 Northwest High School Y Y N
59 Sugar Creek Elementary Y N N
60 NW Middle School Y N N
61 Little Endeavors Learning Center Y N N
62 Waukee KinderCare Y N N
63 Traditions Children’s Center Y N N
64 Waukee Lift Station #14 N Y N
65 Waukee Lift Station #17 N Y N
66 Waukee ASR Well No. 1 N N N
67 Waukee Boone Dr Pump Station N Y N
68 Waukee/WDM/Clive Shared Water
Tower N N N
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 17
Figure WAU.6: Map of Critical Facilities (1-23)
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
18 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
Figure WAU.7: Map of Critical Facilities (24-46)
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 19
Figure WAU.8: Map of Critical Facilities (47-68)
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
20 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
Parcel Improvements and Valuation
The planning team requested GIS parcel data from the County Assessor as of July 2022. This
data allowed the planning team to analyze the location, number, and value of property
improvements at the parcel level. The data did not contain the number of struct ures on each
parcel. A summary of the results of this analysis is provided in the following table.
Table WAU.7: Waukee Parcel Improvements and Value in the 1% Annual Flood Risk Area
Total Number
of
Improvements
Total
Improvement
Value
Number of
Improvements
in Floodplain
Value of
Improvements
in Floodplain
% of
Improvements
in Floodplain
8,019 $2,514,132,160 76 $105,501,150 1%
Source: County Assessor, 2022
Table WAU.8: Waukee Parcel Improvements and Value in the 0.2% Annual Flood Risk Area
Total Number
of
Improvements
Total
Improvement
Value
Number of
Improvements
in Floodplain
Value of
Improvements
in Floodplain
% of
Improvements
in Floodplain
8,019 $2,514,132,160 46 $67,296,320 1%
Source: County Assessor, 2022
Table WAU.9: Waukee Flood Map Products
Type of Product Product ID Effective Date Details
FIS Report 19049CV000B 12/7/2018 Flood Insurance Study
LOMR 20-07-0452P-190678 1/4/2021 NFIP map revision
LOMA 19-07-1339A-190678 6/27/2019 Structure is outside
SFHA
LOMA 19-07-1721A-190678 9/6/2019 Property removed from
SFHA
LOMA 22-07-0640A-190678 4/28/2022 Property is outside
SFHA
LOMA 22-07-0818A-190678 7/6/2022 Portion of property
removed from SFHA
Source: FEMA Flood Map Service Center20
20 Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2022. “FEMA Flood Map Service Center.” Accessed July 2022.
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/advanceSearch.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 21
Hazard Prioritization
The hazards discussed in detail below were selected by the local planning team from the county
hazard list as the relevant hazards for the jurisdiction. The selected hazards were prioritized by
the local planning team based on historical hazard occurrences, potential impacts, and the
community’s capabilities. For additional discussion regarding area-wide hazards, please see
Section Four: Risk Assessment.
Severe Thunderstorms (Includes Hail and Lightning)
Severe thunderstorms are a regular part of the climate and weather for Waukee. These storms
can cause damage through lightning strikes, hail, and high winds. The NCEI reports 18 instances
of severe thunderstorms occurring in Waukee from 1998 to 2019. The typical damage seen
caused by these severe thunderstorms was toppled trees and power poles or wires due to high
winds. These storms caused a total of $157,000 worth of damage. Significant concerns identified
by the local planning team included the reliability of the city electrical grid. To reduce risk and
impacts to this hazard, the city has begun collaborations with MidAmerican Energy Co. to convert
overhead powerlines to underground powerlines. These powerline burials are combined with
major roadway reconstruction along with the upgrading of traffic signal battery backup systems to
ensure reliability. In the future, to reduce risk to the community, the local planning team hopes to
continue to bury powerlines to reduce power grid failures due to tree debris and wind damage.
The goal of the local planning team is to limit the duration of an electrical power loss for residents
and to provide backup electrical generation to critical facilities during a severe thunderstorm
event.
Severe Winter Storms
Severe winter storms are a regular part of the climate and weather for Waukee. Severe winter
storms include blizzards, ice accumulation, heavy snow, and winter storms. These storms can
cause power outages during bitterly cold temperatures, road closures, and economic impacts.
According to the NCEI, there were 79 winter storm events in Dallas County from 1996 to 2021.
These events resulted in $6,613,680 in property damages, with no injuries or deaths reported.
Additionally, the USDA Risk Management Agency reported almost $375,000 in crop damages
from severe winter storm events from 2000 to 2021. The local planning team reports past
occurrences of multiple day winter storms but no structural damage to critical facilities.
The top concern identified by the local planning team was the blockage of roads resulting in a
reduced ability for emergency services to respond to emergency calls. In an attempt to reduce
the amount of power outages due to winter storms, 70% of power lines have been buried. The
city plans to convert to a 24-hour snow plowing schedule to keep roadways clear for emergency
services during a severe winter storm. The city uses snow fences to reduce the risks associated
with winter storms. These fences are located along arterial and collector street corridors where
snow drifting onto the adjacent roadway is a known issue. According to the local planning team
the snow removal resources are currently sufficient, however staffing is a weak link in the
operation. When the city changes to a 24-hour coverage and staff limitations will degrade the
timeliness and frequency when a street is cleared and will ultimately decrease the level of service
provided for snow removal on public streets.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
22 Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023
Tornado and Windstorm
The local planning team identified tornado and windstorm as a top hazard due to their
prevalence in the area and potential for damage and loss of life. Windstorms are common
across the county and can cause property and tree damage and brief power outages.
Tornadoes are much less common, but the impacts can be far greater. Between 1996 and
2021, the NCEI recorded 31 high wind events in Dallas County and three tornados in Waukee.
The first brief tornado event occurred in April 2001 with an F0 tornado briefly touching down with
no damages, injuries, or deaths reported. Another F0 tornado touched down in fields west of
Waukee in May 2004 and resulted in $5,000 of crop damage and $1,000 of property damage,
but no injuries or deaths were reported. Finally, in May 2020 an EF0 tornado briefly touched
down causing minor damage at a church, a car dealership, and pulling shingles from a house
under construction. Roughly $30,000 in property damages were reported. Derechos impacted
the community and caused power to be out for five days in August 2020. The local planning
team’s top concerns for this hazard including the reliability of the electrical grid.
To minimize the effects of tornadoes and windstorms, the city has begun collaborations with
MidAmerican Energy Co. to convert overhead powerlines to underground powerlines. These
powerline burials are combined with major roadway reconstruction along with the upgrading of
traffic signal battery backup systems to ensure reliability. In the future, to reduce risk to the
community, the local planning team hopes to continue to bury powerlines to reduce power grid
failures due to tree debris and wind damage. The goal of the local planning team is to limit the
duration of an electrical power loss for residents and to provide backup electrical generation to
critical facilities during a severe thunderstorm event.
Transportation Incidents – I-80 Closure
This hazard was identified as a top hazard due to the city’s proximity to Interstate 80 that is just
over 3 miles south of the city. The interstate experiences closures due to traffic incidents or
planned roadway constructions. During these closures, traffic detours through Waukee, a main
concern indicated by the local planning team.
To help reduce the risk of transportation incidents, the city is collaborating with IDOT and
neighboring communities to establish detour routes, install detour signage, and consider
coordination of traffic signal operations and timing plans. In the future, the city plans to deploy
permanent and portable messaging boards to communicate traffic data to travelers in real time.
The creation of a centralized traffic incident management team or facility would further reduce the
risk of this hazard.
Section Seven: City of Waukee Community Profile
Dallas County Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2023 23
Mitigation Strategy
Completed Mitigation and Strategic Actions
Mitigation Action Drainage Improvements to Alleviate Flash Flooding near
LA Grant and Booth Drive
Description
Water runoff from adjacent properties causes this area to repetitively
flood during periods of intense rain. Improvement in stormwater
drainage is needed.
Hazard(s) Flooding
Estimated Cost $500,000 to $1,000,000
Funding City General Fund, HMA
Timeline 1 year
Priority Medium
Lead Agency Public Works Department
Status Complete
Continued Mitigation and Strategic Actions
Mitigation Action Safe Rooms
Description
Consider construction of tornado saferooms in public areas. Outdoor
Public areas do not have safe areas for visitors to take refuge in the
event of severe weather.
Hazard(s) Tornadoes and Windstorms
Estimated Cost $100,000 to $500,000
Funding City General Fund, HMA
Timeline 2-5 year
Priority Medium
Lead Agency City Council
Status Ongoing effort as new park amenities and public buildings are
planned, financed, and constructed.
Plan Maintenance
Hazard Mitigation Plans should be living documents and updated regularly to reflect changes in
hazard events, priorities, and mitigation actions. These updates are encouraged to occur after
every major disaster event, alongside community planning documents (e.g., annual budgets and
Capital Improvement Plans), during the fall before the HMA grant cycle begins, and/or prior to
other funding opportunity cycles begin, including CDBG, Water Sustainability Fund, Revolving
State Fund, or other identified funding mechanisms.
The local planning team is responsible for reviewing and updating this community profile as
changes occur or after a major event. The local planning team will include the Fire Chief, Public
Works Director, and Police Chief. The plan was reviewed in 2018 and updated to new staff. The
plan will be reviewed annually. The public will be included in the review and revision process via
city council meetings and city website updates.