[StBernard] Council likely to vote on adopting FEMA Advisory Base Flood Elevations at April 3 meeting

[Westley Annis]

Editor's Note:  I'm glad to see the Council doing this.  The Lafourche
Parish Council was against the ABFE's also, but have just learned that a
number of Lafourche Parish residents were denied grants (not Road Home
grants) because the Council did not adopt the ABFE's.  Lafourche is now in
the process of formally adopting the ABFE's hoping that the residents can
still qualify for the grants.

-----Original Message-----
St. Bernard Parish Council members, who have held out for months without
adopting FEMA's proposed Advisory Base Flood Elevations so parish residents
could start rebuilding without threat of having to raise their homes three
feet if they didn't want to, say they will likely to vote on adopting the
advisories at the Council's April 3 meeting.
 
The ABFE would go into effect 60 days after they are approved by St. Bernard
government.
 
A March 20 public hearing will be held and a second hearing on April 3 would
be held before the Council would vote on the ABFEs.
 
Council members, after receiving copies of a letter answering questions
asked of FEMA, say they are confident the advisories won't jeopardize
residents' flood insurance premiums or ratings. They also said adopting the
advisories will allow residents to access Increased Compliance Costs for
raising homes.
 
"We can now take a systematic approach to adopting the ABFE,'' Council
member Craig Taffaro Jr. said. "We now have confirmation we will not
jeopardize residents' flood insurance premiums or ratings.''
 
"It's about getting ICC money to people who want to raise their homes,''
Council Chairman Joseph DiFatta said.
 
The letter from FEMA specifically said the adoption of ABFEs will not affect
the current effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps, known as FIRM.
 
It also said adoption of the ABFEs would not change flood insurance rates
and classifications of houses in the current B or X zones. In setting
insurance rates, the National Flood Insurance Program will use the flood
zone and BFEs on the FIRM that were in effect at the time the building was
reconstructed, as long as the building was in compliance then with local
floodplain management ordinances, FEMA said.
 
Also, FEMA said adotption of the ABFEs in St. Bernard will not alter the
availability of new flood insurance policies in any zone in the parish nor
alter the classification for and availability of Preferred Risk Premium
Rating for any house that was eligible before adoption of the ABFEs.
 
And, upon a new FIRM bring properly promulgated and adopted by St. Bernard
Parish, the previous adoption and enforcement of the ABFE may be repealed
without the necessity of any approvals from the National Flood Insurance
Program.
 
St. Bernard President Henry "Junior'' Rodriguez and Council members have
urged residents to start their rebuilding process, by at least getting an
electrical or gas permit to document their effort so that they are, in
effect, grandfathered in before the ABFE requires new construction be
elevated three feet.
Council members said it is still a good idea to get rebuilding underway
before the 60-days period lapses and the ABFEs are in place.
 
Previously, St. Bernard has previously responded to pressure to adopt the
ABFEs by questioning the science used in establishing them. Council members
have said more attention should be given to the issue of faulty levee
construction and repair of the levee system that caused so much of the
destruction in St. Bernard.