[StBernard] Parish may take FEMA advice

[Westley Annis]

Parish may take FEMA advice
St. Bernard hearings are Tuesday, April 3 
Saturday, March 17, 2007
By Karen Turni Bazile

For nearly a year, the St. Bernard Parish Council has refused to adopt flood
elevations proposed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency so residents
inside the hurricane levee system could start rebuilding without threat of
being required to raise their homes 3 feet. 

But local officials say they likely will adopt the advisories at their April
3 meeting. 

Council Chairman Joey DiFatta said the council will hold two public hearings
-- one on Tuesday and one at its April 3 meeting -- to gather input. 

 
Council members said they have decided to move forward after receiving a
letter from FEMA with answers to flood insurance questions that parish
officials had sought in writing. They say this letter assures them that
adopting the advisory base flood elevations won't jeopardize residents'
flood insurance premiums or ratings. They also said adopting the advisories
will allow residents to access grants of up to $30,000, called Increased
Cost of Compliance grants, for those who need to raise their homes. 

Although officials said FEMA's letter means many people still won't be
required to elevate homes that are just being repaired, as a safeguard,
officials are encouraging residents to get a building permit as soon as
possible if they have not received a permit or if they have not started
repairs. 

In general, any new construction after the council adopts the rules will
have to meet the new elevation requirement of being built at least 3 feet
off the ground, Councilman Craig Taffaro said. 

Also, after the new rules are adopted, the only flood-damaged structures
that would be forced to be elevated would be those that were substantially
damaged, built before 1975 and those that did not meet the current flood
elevations for their neighborhoods, Taffaro said. 

"We're doing it now because we have the written verification that protects
our residents, and it has been made abundantly clear that to be eligible for
state recovery public infrastructure funds, this is a requirement," said
Taffaro, who pushed for the FEMA's answers in writing. 

Council members have said they are being forced to adopt the proposed
elevations because the Louisiana Recovery Authority's policy is to not
release any federal or state recovery grants to parishes until the
guidelines are adopted. 

The letter from FEMA said the adoption of advisory base flood elevations
protects homeowners in several ways. 

The council's adopting the elevations will not affect current Flood
Insurance Rate Maps, known as FIRM, and the letter said it would not change
flood insurance rates or the zone in which homes are now classified. In
setting insurance rates, the letter said the National Flood Insurance
Program will use the flood zone and elevation requirements on the rate maps
in effect before Katrina as long as the structures were in compliance with
local laws. 

It wouldn't change the availability of new flood insurance policies in any
zone in St. Bernard nor alter the availability of preferred risk premium
rating for houses eligible before the new elevation requirements. Since FEMA
released the advisories last spring, St. Bernard officials have maintained
that the science used to establish the new requirements is flawed because
more attention should be given to faulty levee construction. 

Tuesday's public hearing will be held during the council's 7 p.m. meeting.
The council's April 3 meeting is set for 11 a.m. 

. . . . . . . 

Karen Turni Bazile can be reached at kturni at timespicayune.com or (504)
826-3321.