Informational Report on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Proposed Revisions to Floodplain Maps Which Could Impact Alameda Property Owners. (Public Works 4205)
A informational report on the Federal Emergency Management Agency proposed revisions to flood plain maps, which could impact Alameda property owners. Good evening, Madam Mayor. Can in my in the microphone for good? Yes. Okay. If I lean in. If you can. It doesn't always pick up. All right. Good evening, Madam Mayor. Honorable Vice Mayor, members of city council. I'm Aaron Smith from the Public Works Department. And presenting before you tonight an informational report only there's no action or decision required of council on this matter at this point in time. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, commonly spoken of as FEMA, is the agency within the United States Department of Homeland Security that manages the National Flood Insurance Program. This program allows property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance protection from the government against losses from flooding. Property owners and Nonparticipating communities are not eligible for federally subsidized flood insurance, federally backed mortgages, federal grants or federal disaster relief. In 1978, the city joined the National Flood Insurance Program and in 2009 amended the Floodplain Management Chapter of our Municipal Code to adopt flood insurance rates rate maps which are issued by FEMA. It is these maps that identify the special flood hazard areas within the city where specific standards of construction, which are specified in the code would apply. FEMA periodically updates the flood insurance rate maps based on new information and science. And this is what brings us here this evening. FEMA will be issuing preliminary maps that expand the special flood hazard areas in the city of Alameda. Eric Simmons from FEMA will present this evening on the specifics of those preliminary maps and the public process that FEMA is required to move the maps through before their final issuance. Although not required of the city, we've hired an independent hydrologist to review the new maps. And although our hydrologists confirmed FEMA's conclusion based on existing conditions, additional study can be done to potentially reduce the impacts of flooding on Bay Farm Island with modifications to the dike system. The Port of Oakland has also hired their own hydrology consultant to investigate the modeling used by FEMA at the Oakland Airport in Bay Farm Island. The city supports the port of Oakland's efforts, and we await the conclusions which we understand will be presented during the formal appeal period for the preliminary maps. So, Eric, when you come on up, when Eric's done with this presentation, I'll return just briefly to speak a little bit more to the extra outreach efforts the city will be taken, given the potential number of newly affected property owners. Good evening and thank you for the opportunity to talk about flood hazard mapping. My name is Eric Simmons. I'm an engineer with FEMA, and we have a regional office right across the estuary in Oakland. And in April. We released preliminary flood insurance rate maps. And Aaron was able to do a really good job of giving some of the the background and history there. So what I wanted to focus on was some maps that show the differences between what's currently mapped by FEMA and what's proposed to be mapped by FEMA. And the basis for FEMA flood mapping is the 1% annual chance flood. It has a 1% or greater chance of occurring each and every year. Some may hear it as a 100 year flood, but over the long term average, over a 30 year period, it has a 26% chance of occurring. So on this slide, in the next couple slides that the blue zone is that 1% annual chance floodplain. And on the graphic, on the left is the current flood insurance rate map. It's based on a study from the mid eighties and with FEMA is embarked on a new coastal mapping for the entire United States that includes the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay. And we're issued these draft preliminary maps for the Bay Area counties, including Alameda County here, the Main Street area. You can show you can see how the blue zone that 1% chance flood plain is is widening. And this new map also shows a moderate hazard area. It's the 0.2% chance floodplain or often commonly called the 500 year floodplain. Looking in another area here, Webster Street. You can see again the proposed changes. And in general, the flood zone or the city of Alameda is being widened. Here on the east end of the Alameda Island, where in general the current flood insurance rate map shows the mapped high hazard area right along the shoreline. We have numerous houses in that high risk floodplain and even more in the moderate hazard area, that 500 year flood plain. And one thing to highlight this is based on sea levels, conditions today. These are flood insurance rate maps that are used to rate the. Flood insurance, and therefore it's based on existing conditions. The last slide here probably shows the greatest change here on the western part of Bay from Island. You can can look along the lagoons on the golf course area and other areas showing what I'd call a major change in in that mapped 1% annual chance floodplain. So I'm going to hand it back to Aaron to cover kind of the next steps and the process. Thanks, Eric. So these are preliminary maps which FEMA, we are pending FEMA's announcement in the Federal Register when they put it in the Federal Register. FEMA will also due to notifications in local newspapers, which officially starts this 90 day appeal period. The appeals are not between the property owners and the city, but between the property owners and FEMA. So I want to also just speak to a little bit of the additional work the city is going to be doing to ensure that our property owners are well informed. So immediately following FEMA's announcements in the Federal Register, the city will send out a targeted mailing to all affected property owners. We'll post the announcement and information on the city of Alameda Web site and hold a public information meeting where questions can be answered. The intent of these extra actions are to ensure that people are aware of the change. They understand the requirements once the maps are final, and that they understand their right to appeal to FEMA, although appeals and protest are collected by the city. I don't want that to be confused with the fact that we are just passing them on to FEMA. Once FEMA resolves the appeals and protests, they do issue a letter of final determination for the new flood insurance rate maps in order for the city to continue participation in the National Flood Insurance Program and allow property owners the benefits of federally backed mortgages. Federal disaster relief, among other benefits. Council is required to adopt the new flood insurance rate maps into Chapter ten, which is our floodplain management section of our municipal code. So with that, the informational report is complete. Myself, Eric and Lori Koza check from Public Works, who's the lead staff member on here, can certainly answer any questions you have. Vice mayor. Is it fair to say, or if you can explain the reason why these zones are expanding? Is that there's projected sea level rise. I'm going to let Eric from FEMA answer that one. So the the proposed flood zones are based on today's condition and not on a future sea level rise condition. There are there are a couple of reasons why the proposed flood zone is is wider than the current flood zone. One is we have much better information on the elevation of the ground using new technology. We have more accurate and precise information that shows these flood prone areas. FEMA also developed a bay wide model. It has information at over 8000 locations along the bay that we have modeled the past over 55 years of of conditions, whether it's surge to the Golden Gate or, you know, during El Nino conditions where higher water levels are as long as as well as tides, wind conditions that can affect. Water levels. And so we just have better information on on the hazard that is today. So it's more accurate. And there's a larger body of data, as I interpreted you saying. Correct. Thank you. Any other council comments? I have a question. And. In the presentation on page four of ten, on the third bullet point, it says properties proposed to be mapped in the 100 year flood plain equals 1800. So right now, what's the number of properties that are in the current floodplain? Is it this 40 or. Or is this the number of people who have flood insurance? That's the number of people that are currently mapped in that high hazard zone. Oh. So the increases. 1760. Yes. Okay. And. Of the 1760, then basically it's complete. Do we know how many of the 1800 already have some form of flood insurance? We can provide a summary of the flood insurance coverage in the city. I don't have that exact number with me. Okay. Because. Right now within the map area, within the current map, there are 40 properties subject to the current 100 year flood plain. But when you compare it because that's the next bullet points. Now when you compare it to the actual number of people who have taken out flood insurance, there's more. There's 134. Right. Which suggests that within the envelope that will contain 1800. There might be a number of homeowners already with flood insurance. Right. I think what I'm getting at and I think we'll do that and we've got plenty of time. But is this just getting the accurate data as to the current conditions, existing conditions? Because. You know, it's altogether possible that you can read this and you can have one incredible, huge sticker shock of, you know, suddenly 760 homeowners affected, which might be not or might not be. So we just need to make sure to get that. One other day. So I will definitely follow up. We have a which those parcels are okay. Make sure that we get that information from FEMA and we can provide that to you rather quickly. All right. And one last thing is if we can also get the. The incremental change, if there is any, between those? Well, will there be any incremental change in the flood insurance amount right now? And the bullet point on page four of ten. It says on average, people are paying 511. I don't know if. Yeah. So one thing we try to emphasize is, is those homeowners or business owners that are impacted by this flood zone change. FEMA has adopted a policy that allows them to purchase the least expensive type of flood insurance as long as they purchase it, you know, sooner rather than later. So they can save money in the long term by purchasing flood insurance sooner. And again, because the city participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. Any homeowner or business owner or renter is eligible to buy flood insurance. It doesn't matter what flood zone they live in. Or where where they work. All all those people are eligible to buy flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. We thank you. Mayor Brody. And we do have one speaker. Thank you. Just a couple of quick questions. So there's the four areas outline here, the the Main Street, Webster, Starkville, East End and Bay Farm. So the areas that are not mapped, are they just not in the floodplain or did you not map them or. You know, FEMA's. New study studied flood hazards throughout the bay so all of the city of Alameda currently for example Alameda point is not mapped with high or low flood hazards. But our new study did study. That. And. Proposing maps. We didn't rate graphics. For every area of the island. It said, okay, because that was my question. You know, we just signed off on a housing project on Alameda Point. Are are those houses going to be in the floodplain that requires them to get flood insurance? And the same thing with the Del Monte and all of the other projects along the northern waterfront. I mean, people will be buying those. Right. And I'm happy to say we've had coordination ongoing and so that the the FEMA study is being used to build much safer in that area. You know, above the 1% chance flat elevations and then also considering future conditions. Okay. So but this is just the highlights of your map. This isn't the entire map that we have. Right. Thank you. All right. I'm going to go ahead, Kristen. All right. Thank you, Miss Smith. I didn't get everything down that you said earlier that the city council is required to adopt these regulations into. Is it chapter ten? It's actually the map. So we already have our Chapter ten, which can references the existing maps that Eric had shown on there. So that identifies the special hazard zones now. So what will be required to do is adopt the new maps once FEMA finishes their public process and they issue a letter of final determination. And we have a six month period of time to adopt those new rate insurance maps into our municipal code. Okay. And then I understand the six month window of time. Give us the time frame from about when to when will the start? The cities poised to act. We're waiting on FEMA to post in the Federal Register so that once they do that, then there's the 90 day appeal period. And then the question is, is after the end of the appeal period, how quickly FEMA issues the letter of final determination? So that that timeline depends on what kind of comments we we have, and then we resolve them in coordination with the impacted cities. This map change does not impact just the city of Alameda, but other cities, certainly. So there's a coordination process. But typically, the new flood insurance rate maps go in effect about a year and a half after this preliminary issuance. Okay. But our residents should expect to start receiving letters in the mail in the next. Do you have an estimated date of when you'll be posting in the Federal Register? A little bit outside of FEMA's control. But I just checked off work in the. Past. Four weeks or so. In the next 3 to 4 weeks. We have our letter ready to go and we're checking the Federal Register daily. Okay. And so what I would just ask of city staff, you know, I think we all agree that more information is better than less. So if you could all do your best efforts to get word of this out into the public, through our newspapers, and not just the legal notice that I know is going to be posted . But I heard you say it'll be on the city's website. Not everybody goes to the city's website. So let's be as proactive and communicative as possible. Mr. Hahn is making motion. I didn't quite understand. We're actually going to send a letter to every affected homeowner. So we will put them on notice through a letter from the city as a service to our citizens. You don't need to do that. But we're doing we're being proactive and reaching out. And I appreciate letters and sometimes people don't, you know, pay attention to everything they get. And I again, more information is better than less. It wouldn't hurt to layer on some of their. During our comments. I was just finishing my sentence to Mr.. Flynn on that later. Yes. I'd like to take once. Blake, you, Mr. Hunter, I. Appreciate I'm going to go ahead and call her up. Carrie Johnson. It wasn't. And if you want to say. Good evening, everyone, I am Kerry Thompson. I am here as a homeowner in the new flood zone. Thank you very much. What a nasty little shock that was today. I frankly am opposed to it. Initially, when I did purchase my home in 1987. It was in a flood zone. We were aware of that. We had to go through the whole process and thank heavens after a while it was determined it was not in a flood zone. So we've not been able to you know, we've not been required to have flood insurance as part of our our loan. And frankly, that's just another impediment to homeowners existing and future in that area, because now everyone has to disclose that that that will become effective in, what is it, 12 to 18 months, they just said. So I'm really disappointed because frankly, it doesn't seem like anyone had an opportunity to weigh in. There really isn't an opportunity to opt out. It sounds like it's a done deal. So I'm kind of concerned that this whole thing was pointless. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Member comments. So I would agree with member Ashcraft that if the city could actually put something in the newspaper in addition to the letters, to make sure that all the homeowners do receive, do our best to make sure that they received notice. And also, if we could have the whole maps like in our planning department, people could go and see the whole map and double check it for whatever reason they need to talk to someone about is my home within that area. If we could have the full maps available in the planning department and then the public could come and double check with a person and speak to it if they have a problem or question anything that we could do to help facilitate that. And and I appreciate my understanding the staff we are hiring someone to also check this. When we already have and they've they've already concluded confirmed FEMA's conclusions pending additional study on modifying the dike system in Bay Farm Island. So they've confirmed FEMA's conclusions based upon existing conditions. So I appreciate that staff that took that extra effort to try to confirm because as the Speaker noted this, our speakers know this will be challenging for many of our homeowners member, Ashcroft. And so just to follow up on the speaker's comments, Mr. Smith. This isn't exactly something that we can opt out of or the city could opt out of recognizing our floodplains. But at considerable cost as as in. Opting out would mean. Are you suggesting not participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. When when homeowners say and understandably, I mean, we all see our, you know, costs of insurance and property ownership costs go up every year. But I just you know, I'm not sure that the public understands quite the ramifications to all of us, not just individually, but the city, if for some reason we weren't to comply. Sure. Well, I'd like to just. First start with that. This is not a done deal. This we haven't started a 90 day appeal period. So we are at the cusp of a 90 day period for public input that, you know, can still dialog can still occur between the public and FEMA. Also, I'd like to have Eric speak to once the maps are issued, there are options for individual property owners to do what's called a survey certificate. And if you could briefly explain what that is. And if I could also ask you, if you're able to just talk about what would an appeal look like? What are criteria for appeal? Okay. Thank you. Let me first touch upon the the issue of of after these maps are updated in and the opportunity to revise or amend them is always there. Theme every year processes thousands of letters of map amendment and letters of map revision where either a homeowner or a community provides better data to FEMA to show that they're at or above this flood elevation. Or maybe there's new construction and the development involved fill, and they put that fill to elevate the new development again above the flood elevation. So the maps, even though they get revised through a big revision that we're talking about now, can get amended and revised at any time in the future. And then. What Aaron referred to as an elevation certificate is a form that documents the surveys that substantiate those changes and the newer information. And your question referring to what kind of appeal or other data FEMA may receive during this 90 day period. In that we're open to any technical or scientific data. One, I wouldn't say common, but situation that does occur is perhaps a homeowner has one of these elevation certificates. They're being mapped very close to the line of that special flood hazard area. And that elevation certificate shows that they're, in fact, at or above the flood elevation. And we can clarify that situation through a letter or, if necessary, make that small modification on the map. That's probably the most common kind of scientific or technical information we receive. Thank you both. Member OTI. Thank you, Madam Chair. So on that that's survey that elevation certificate. So you have to do a survey to get that if you don't already have it. Yes. Typically, the homeowner or another party hires a licensed land surveyor or professional engineer to fill out that form the elevation certificate. So that that kind of was my question then, you know, hire. What's the average cost of one of these surveys? You know, it. It depends on where you are. And it also depends. Sometimes homeowners get together, you know, if ten homeowners get together and their costs maybe, you know, $300. Or. Or a lot less. But if if one homeowner hires a surveyor or that professional engineer, it could be over $1,000, depending on where you are. I mean, it just, you know, seems to me, you know, you're kind of. In a bad way. Either way, you know, you either have to shell out the money to buy to get a survey, or you're stuck with buying insurance. And the homeowner really has no recourse except to pay one of those. And it just seems unfortunate. So just one more question on the this appeal. So you said we had a staff and analyze that. They agreed with with the FEMA maps. And the independent hydrologist that we hired on public works. Correct. They they agreed they confirmed FEMA's conclusions based on existing conditions. So I guess I'm concerned based on that, that if we do have homeowners that do appeal this, that that the city and the staff will be supportive of those appeals. It seems to me that there's a belief that, you know, the FEMA maps are valid. Again, the city's kind of a pass through body in terms of the actual appeal. That's for FEMA to consider. Okay. Again, I think it's unfortunate that, you know, homeowners have to shell out money regardless. And it's just. Just one of those things, I guess. Member Data Two sets of questions. The first set of question is when the independent hydrologist or whomever did their analysis, did they do analysis on the ground or do they use some kind of GIS system? And based upon that. I'm going to have Lori speak to that. She was our staff member that worked directly with the hydrologists. Madam Mayor and council members. The hydrologist was ballance hydrologists and they took a look at the data that the that FEMA had used and pretty much looked through their method of calculating the base elevation of the floodplain and how that was. The question was whether. That Stillwater elevation could have time to go inland during just the high tide or just the storm event, and they calculated that it would have time to do that. And the inputs into their calculation was based upon numbers that's already in some kind of system, and they just had to review the system and make some updates. I believe the light hour or the elevation data came from the county. Is that okay? Did you use the county elevation or do your own? Okay. So they were partially using survey data that came from the county and so they were kind of checking FEMA's calculations, using that. They did not go out and do an independent, complete survey. Just really like of a metadata findings based upon a metadata analysis. Yeah. So it's not completely. So it's altogether possible that people could still. Do their analysis. And it's completely possible that some parts of Alameda are higher than what's in the what's in the database. So I wouldn't at their own at their own. And that's something that we need to discuss. The second set of question in our maps, the the the 1800 or so that will be subject to the new boundaries, although. Thank you very much. Appreciate your assistance. These are the these homeowners, these resident properties are in the blue area, is that correct? Correct. So this is not the brown areas in the map? No, the brown areas where the lower the 500 year flood. So yes, aren't those are more for planning or advisory purposes. So I just want to clarify. So there's is there any effect in having the number of units, residential or otherwise, that are in the brown areas they're not going to suddenly get thrown with. Some kind of new bill is a correct. They're just for whatever reason, they're just categorized as being in this moderate flood plain zone. That's my understanding, right? Yeah. Okay. Yes. You know, I mean, going back to Councilmember Otis point of view point is that a lot of these brown areas are also near the blue areas. So I wouldn't completely ixnay the idea of, you know, doing one's own analysis. That's a very technical term, by the way. Yeah. So but, you know, figuring out how to help the residents is something that we need to do in the coming weeks and months. I'd also like to just just add this survey certificate that we're talking about is not yet these analysis is are done at a certain level, granular level. So you could have any one particular parcel on a block that has something. And so it's not just because our hydrologist confirmed FEMA's conclusion that shouldn't in any way discourage a property owner from pursuing that, if that's what they feel they'd like to do. Like member Ashcraft. And Miss Smith. You mentioned earlier, and I just wanted a little more information that FEMA will allow homeowners to purchase a lower cost flood insurance if they do so quickly. Is the procedure for doing this going to be contained in the letter that's going out to these homeowners? How will they how will they find out about it is my question. That's a really good question. We allude to it, and we also invite property owners to a public meeting that will be holding to answer any questions. If I can work with Eric in advance of the letter and be as specific to that policy and reference it, I will certainly integrate that into the letter. Yeah. Without sounding like a broken record, more information is better than less. And if we know that some of these homeowners are almost certainly going to have to bear the cost of flood insurance, I'd like to see us at least give them the information about how they could lower that bill. So if that could go, if you've got the ability to get that into the letter that's going out, I think that would be great. It's not a problem. We will do. Thank you very much. And do you have the date of the meeting that you've referenced again? So we're poised kind of for the Federal Register notice and then all our actions come subsequent to that. Right member day. So. You know, and I think this is where council member Odie might have been going the direction, but it's something that we can mull over in the coming weeks, months. It's completely possible that the city of Alameda ground truths the blue areas. Something to think about. So. I just also keep in mind, Port of Oakland is is also pursuing their own independent study that impacts Bay Pharm Island, which is our largest impacted area. And so we are cooperating and await the conclusions of that study as well. Thank you. Iran. As. Just to remind one last thing. If you do not have a federally insured mortgage, you're not required to have flood insurance. Okay. So if you don't have a FEMA or Fannie Mae mortgage, then you're not required to have flood insurance. You're going to be in a flood zone. So that's up to you. But you're not required to do that. Okay. It's only required for federally insured mortgages. Ethan. Thank you. All right. They no other comments on 60. Thank you very much. And now we're going to go to six. B I'm sorry, six B That was 63. Introduction of ordinances amending the Alameda Municipal Code by adding Section two, Dash 23, Article two concerning creation of a rent review advisory committee and an ordinance adding Article 14 to Chapter six concerning the review of rent increases.