[StBernard] FEMA to Adjust Flood Levels

[Westley Annis]

FEMA set to raise bar in St. Bernard Parish
New flood elevations to be recommended 
Thursday, October 27, 2005
By Karen Turni Bazile
St. Bernard/Plaquemines bureau 
FEMA officials reviewing required flood elevations for St. Bernard Parish
structures in the wake of Hurricane Katrina are expected to announce in
mid-November how high they think any new construction should be elevated. 

It's unclear how the recommendations will affect the reconstruction of St.
Bernard because parish officials aren't required to implement them, said
Richard Rein, a community mitigation planner with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency in St. Bernard. 

In the meantime, parish officials are encouraging homeowners to begin
gutting their homes and doing cosmetic work that doesn't require permits.
They also have announced what property owners need to do to get utilities to
their properties, as well as the parish permitting requirements for
reconstruction. 

No matter what FEMA recommends, owners of homes that are not substantially
damaged wouldn't have to elevate their structures, Rein said. 

Owners of structures that were built before 1975, when the parish adopted
current flood elevation requirements for the National Flood Insurance
Program, would have to elevate their homes to the current requirements if
the cost to rebuild their homes exceeds 50 percent of the market value of
the building, said Mike Hunnicutt, director of the parish Department of
Community Development. Elevation requirements in St. Bernard have not
changed since 1975. 

Rein said a normal review of the flood insurance maps was started this year
but that the FEMA review is different. 

"This is very unusual," Rein said. "It's because of Katrina and the levees.
I've never seen this before. But because of the flood and the levees and the
storm surge, I think they wanted to look at it again." 

No matter what happens, it appears that for the most part, homes that need
to be just gutted and rewired won't be affected by any announcements in
November, Rein said. Under FEMA rules, people who are existing flood
insurance holders would be grandfathered in but might have to pay higher
rates, Hunnicutt said. 


Getting ready for trailers 

Hunnicutt said he already has received about 50 requests for trailer utility
hook-ups. He said St. Bernard is not charging fees for electrical
inspections or for permits for temporary trailers or portable buildings
during this reconstruction period, Hunnicutt said. 

Parish officials said last week that property owners could place travel
trailers or portable buildings on their property as long as electricity,
water and sewage services were provided. 

Hunnicutt said residents could apply to have a temporary electrical pole on
their property even if they don't want to live at the site during the repair
process. 

Property owners need to contact a licensed electrician to set a temporary
pole, then apply to the parish for a permit for the connection, Hunnicutt
said. Those who want to bring in trailers also will need a licensed plumber
to hook up those services. 

Hunnicutt said the parish is not equipped to issue any new trade licenses
for skilled workers such as electricians and plumbers, so residents must use
those currently holding licenses in St. Bernard. A list of locally licensed
electricians, plumbers and other skilled trade workers is published on the
parish government Web site, www.sbpg.net 

Hunnicutt said no permit is required for cosmetic work such as painting or
replacing wallboard, flooring, carpeting, windows, doors, fixtures or other
items. 

Electrical work done on any structure, or electrical inspections for the
purpose of having Entergy restore power, must be filed by an electrician
licensed to do business in St. Bernard. 


Powering up 

Currently, travel trailers or other temporary housing will not require a
permit if located on a home owner's property, Hunnicutt said. Water, sewer
and electrical service must be available on-site or otherwise provided for.
Self-contained units are allowed but must be maintained in a sanitary
manner. 

Travel trailers and temporary housing will be allowed for up to 18 months
only. 

Residents can contact FEMA for a trailer, and, once approved, they can
contact Entergy to set up an account. There is no need to contact the parish
with a FEMA-supplied trailer because FEMA will handle the electrical, water
and sewer work in those cases, officials said. 

If structural modification to a home is required or a new structure is
built, the following is required to be submitted for a permit: completed
permit application, copy of title or property survey, a site plan showing
locations of all buildings and all dimension property lines, and a complete
set of construction drawings stamped by a licensed Louisiana architect or
civil engineer. 

Entergy Customer Service Manager Phil Truxillo said property owners can call
1 (800) ENTERGY to apply for power, and service can usually be hooked up in
a few days if the area has power. 

Electricity will not be readily available in areas serviced by underground
transformers that were flooded and affected by saltwater, Truxillo said.
Those include subdivisions such as Buccaneer Villa North in Chalmette,
Lexington Place in Meraux and Fort Beauregard Marina Estates in Shell Beach.


For questions about reconstruction or permit requirements, call Hunnicutt's
office at (504) 278-4310. 

. . . . . . . 


Staff writer Karen Turni Bazile can be reached at kturni at timespicayune.com
or (504) 352-2539.