AGENDA #2
MEMORANDUM
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
George Small, P.E., Director of Engineering Sue Burke, P.E., Stormwater Management Engineer |
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SUBJECT: |
Public Hearing - Revised Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel 9890 |
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DATE: |
April 21, 2008 |
PURPOSE
This Public Hearing has been called to receive comments on proposed revisions to Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel 9890 and the accompanying changes to the Flood Insurance Study. The revisions are necessary to correct a mapping error for the Dry Branch watershed. These revised documents and map were issued by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety.
BACKGROUND
The Town of Chapel Hill adopted the updated Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps in January 2007. The study and maps became effective on February 2, 2007.
Dry Branch is a perennial stream located between Weaver Dairy Road and Interstate 40 in northeast Chapel Hill. Shortly after the maps became effective, Town staff began receiving calls from residents in the Silver Creek neighborhood questioning notification from their lending institutions that, based on the new maps, flood insurance was now required for their homes.
DISCUSSION
A Silver Creek resident provided Town staff with a copy of an Elevation Certificate which, when compared to the cross-sections and Base Flood Elevations of the new and old maps, indicated that a mapping error had incorrectly placed a number of Silver Creek properties in the floodplain.
Town staff presented this information to the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management that subsequently directed its consultant to conduct a detailed study and remapping of the Dry Branch watershed. The revised maps were issued in July 2007, with the properties in question no longer shown in the regulatory floodplain. The federal public comment period closed on October 23, 2007; no comments were received.
In order for the flood insurance requirement to be lifted from the residents and for the Town to maintain its participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, the Town Council must conduct a public hearing and adopt the revised Flood Insurance Study and panel.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend that the Council accept comments from citizens at this meeting and recess the Public Hearing until May 5th. Citizens may submit written comments until May 2, 2008. Staff will summarize received comments, prepare responses, and present those to the Council at the May 5, 2008 meeting along with the revised Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel 9890 and Flood Insurance Study for adoption.
ATTACHMENTS