LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Assembly to Review Flood Map, Insurance
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly approved on first reading Tuesday an ordinance that will maintain Sitka’s 37-year participation in the National Floodplain Insurance Program.
“It’s a very important program for our community and our citizens,” City Building Official Pat Swedeen told the Assembly.
The members agreed to hold a 5 p.m. work session on the revised Sitka floodplain map prior to the July 23 meeting, when the ordinance will be up for final approval.
Representatives of the local insurance, real estate and banking industries will be invited to take part.
Assembly members also directed staff to notify property owners who are affected by changes in the plan. The last significant revision was in 2010. City officials said today they are compiling a mailing list and drafting a letter to send out to affected residents.
Swedeen said passage of the ordinance will maintain the city’s good standing in the national flood insurance program. The deadline for adopting the ordinance is Aug. 1, which is the day the Federal Emergency Planning Agency plans to adopt the updated Flood Insurance Rate Map.
“The bottom line really is that maintaining Sitka’s compliance in the program doesn’t carry any significant consequences for our community but opting out of it would negatively impact our citizens and the community as a whole,” Swedeen said, adding later, “If we do not adopt this – the new updated ordinance that has some changes to their regulations – we will not be in compliance with this program, we will be suspended from it.”
Detail from the 2010 FEMA unofficial flood zone map of Sitka. (Image from Mainstreet GIS)
The Purpose section of the ordinance says: “Participation in the NFIP provides citizens of Sitka the availability of federally backed loans, grants and disaster assistance along with making flood insurance available to all property owners in Sitka.”
The Sitka Planning Commission recommended approval at its July 2 meeting.
A memo to the Assembly from city staff said:
“In addition to enabling property owners to purchase subsidized insurance as a protection against flood losses, the city’s participation in the (program) maintains Sitka’s ability to obtain disaster funding of all types. Participation in the NFIP also provides members of our community the availability of federal grants and loans for properties located in the Special Flood Hazard Area.”
The city’s revised floodplain hazard map shows 275 residential, commercial and public structures in the hazard areas. Since the last time the map was revised, about 100 structures have been removed from the hazard area, and about 100 have been added.
Swedeen said during the appeal period in 2017 the public works department was successful in getting 26 properties around Swan Lake removed, and 25 properties on Alice Island rated at a reduced level of flood hazard.
Participation in the program is voluntary and communities may opt out “if at a future date a superior program becomes available,” the Assembly was told in the staff memo.
If the city opts out by not adopting an ordinance, it “does not remove the requirement for flood insurance or void the created flood hazard maps,” city staff said.
“Lenders can require flood insurance for structures located in the mapped flood hazard zones regardless of whether the community participates in the NFIP, (and) without NFIP participation obtaining flood insurance can be extremely difficult and costly,” Swedeen said in his memo to the Planning Commission.
Interim City Administrator Dave Miller said in his note to the Assembly about the program:
“The NFIP does not require flood insurance but it does provide an affordable option for all of Sitka’s citizens to obtain protection whether or not the structure to be insured is located in a flood hazard zone.”
While expressing support for the ordinance, some Assembly members said they wanted to learn more from those in the private sector. Assembly member Kevin Mosher voted in favor but said he wanted more information before the ordinance came up for final reading.
Assembly member Steven Eisenbeisz, who voted against, said he would like to see rate comparisons between the federally subsidized program and private insurance, and had other questions.
“If it comes out that it’s $1 more a month to go (to private insurance), is that really a savings?” he asked. He added today the Assembly has been told it’s cheaper to go with the FEMA program, but has not heard any facts related to this from providers.
“I’ll be a yes vote for now but I’ll probably have more questions,” commented Valorie Nelson at Tuesday’s meeting.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.