HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-03-16 City Council (49)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
DATE:MARCH 16, 1998 CMR:170:98
SUBJECT:STATUS REPORT ON THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY’S REVISED FLOOD INSURANCE RATE
MAPS FOR SAN FRANCISQUITO CREEK
This is an information report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On September 29, 1997, staffreported to Council that the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) had completed its study of San Francisquito Creek and had submitted a
preliminary copy. of the revised Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) to the City
(CMR:402:97). In its report, staff provided a general description of the map and a
preliminary outline of the individual steps in the map revision process. On December 8,
1997, Council approved staff’S recommendations to prepare an appeal of the revised map and
to conduct a community meeting to present the revised map to the public for review and
comment.
DISCUSSION
FEMA placed legal notices in the Palo Alto Weekly on February 20 and 27, 1998
announcing the release of the preliminary revised FIRM for the San Francisquito Creek
floodplain, thus initiating a formal 90-day map appeal period. During this period, the City
or members ~ofthe public have the fight to appeal the revised maps based upon a dispute of
a quantitative, technical nature. Staff has contracted with Nolte and Associates to conduct
an independent review of the preliminary FIRM in order to determine whether an appeal of
the map is warranted. The consultant is using updated ground elevation information as well
as observed flooding patterns from the February 2-3, 1998 flood event to review the FIRM.
The consultant will complete its work prior to the end of the 90-day appeal period.
Staff has scheduled a community meeting to present information and answer questions
regarding the revised FIRM and the map revision process. The meeting will be held at 7:00
p.m. on Thursday, March 26, 1998 at the Children’s Theater in the Lueie Stem Community
Center at 1305 Middlefield Road. FEMA representatives will assist staff in making the
presentation and answering detailed questions. Topics to be discussed include proposed
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flood zone boundary changes, flood insurance costs and requirements, special building
requirements in .the Special Flood Hazard. Area, and the map revision process and timing.
Staffhas mailed individual meeting announcements to the residents of all properties on the
current or proposed FIRM. Staff has also notified representatives of the Crescent Park,
Duveneck, St. Francis, and community Center neighborhood associations, the Palo Alto
Chamber of Commerce, and the Peninsula West Valley Realtors Association. A press release
announcing the community meeting will be issued next week.
ATTACtlMENT
Meeting notice mailed to residents of all properties on the current or proposed FIRM
DEPARTMENT HEAD:/~"Y~----"// ~
GLENN S. ROBERTS
Director of Public Works
CiTY MANAGER APPROVAL: ~--~. ~/~
~MILY HARRISON ,
Assistant City Manager
CO:Ken Nauman, FEMA
Ray Lenaburg, FEMA
Kay Whitlock, Santa Clara Valley Water District
Randy Talley, Santa Clara Valley Water District
Ruben Nifio, City of Menlo Park
Mahendar Chima, City of East Palo Alto
Pat Showalter, San Francisquito Creek CRMP coordinator
Susan Frank, Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce
Cathy Lehrberg, Crescent Park Neighborhood Association
Kevin Fisher, Duveneck Neighborhood Association
Raymond Hebert, St. Francis Neighborhood Association
Warren Kallenbach, Community Center Neighbors Association
Laura Alms, Peninsula West Valley Realtors Association
John Paul Hanna
CMR:170:98 Page 2 of 2