TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
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Annual Evaluation of the City of Salem Floodplain Management Plan
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Annual evaluation of the City of Salem Floodplain Management Plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
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SUMMARY:
A committee comprised of City staff and community stakeholders performed its annual evaluation of the Floodplain Management Plan (Plan) in compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements for the Community Rating System. The annual review includes an overall evaluation of the Plan in addition to a detailed review of Appendix H (Flood Information and Outreach Plan) and Appendix I (Flood Insurance Plan) of the Plan. The Committee recommended a few minor adjustments to the Plan and completed its evaluation on August 23, 2019.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
1. In order to comply with FEMA’s requirements for the Community Rating System, the Floodplain Management Plan must be evaluated annually. The annual review must include an overall evaluation of the Plan in addition to a detailed review of Appendix H (Flood Information and Outreach Plan) and Appendix I (Flood Insurance Plan).
2. The Floodplain Management Plan Committee was comprised of City staff and community stakeholders who have been involved in the planning efforts for the Floodplain Management Plan and its amendments. City staff on the committee included representatives from floodplain management, public works, planning, building and safety, and public information. Community stakeholders included: property owners, private business owners, a professional engineer, a professional architect, a real estate broker, and an insurance agent. The committee members evaluated the Floodplain Management Plan at their August 23, 2019, meeting and provided insight, feedback, and recommendations for future updates.
3. The Floodplain Management Plan Committee meets the FEMA requirement for a review committee because at least half of its members came from a variety of community stakeholders, including realtors and insurance agents. This information staff report to Council meets the FEMA requirement for the annual report to “be submitted to the governing body, released to the media, and made available to the public.”
4. The status of the Floodplain Management Plan’s forty-one action items and the Flood Insurance Plan’s six coverage improvement projects were presented to the committee in three general categories: (a) Completed; (b) Ongoing or in process; and (c) Remaining. The Floodplain Management Plan Status Summary for each category is described in Attachment 1.
5. The status of the Flood Information and Outreach Plan’s twenty-three outreach projects were presented to the committee in an annual evaluation report format that meets the Community Rating System requirements for Activity 330 Program for Public Information. The Flood Information and Outreach Plan Annual Evaluation Report is included as Attachment 2.
6. The Floodplain Management Plan Committee reviewed the status reports described above and recommended a few minor adjustments to the Plan’s Action Items.
BACKGROUND:
On May 14, 2018, Council adopted the City’s Floodplain Management Plan (Plan) through Resolution 2018-19. The Plan guides the City’s floodplain management programs. The Plan identifies flood hazards throughout the community, evaluates the problems caused by those hazards, reviews possible mitigation activities, and creates an action plan to mitigate those flood hazards.
The Floodplain Management Plan is integral to the City’s participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Community Rating System. The Community Rating System reduces annual flood insurance premiums for property owners citywide based on actions and projects implemented by the City. By implementing the Plan’s actions, the City is eligible for additional Community Rating System credits that increases the City’s rating. The higher the City’s rating, the greater the flood insurance reduction for property owners. Annual review of the report is mandatory in order to maintain FEMA’s CRS rating.
Robert D. Chandler, PhD, PE
Assistant Public Works Director
Attachments:
1. Floodplain Management Plan and Flood Insurance Plan Action Items
2. Flood Information and Outreach Plan Action Items Annual Evaluation Report