Small Town News

Woodlake calms flood insurance worries

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City ordinance does not add homes to flood plain, only changes small regulation on construction

Woodlake residents were concerned that they may be forced to pay costly flood insurance following a recent decision by the Woodlake City Council that was really just minor change for new construction.

The City Council approved an amendment to its Floodplain Management Regulations at its Aug. 9 meeting based on new regulations imposed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Residents who were not at the meeting for discussion had called the Sun-Gazette concerned that the move would create a similar situation as the one that Visalia found themselves last year.

In that case, FEMA updated the flood-plain maps for the city that added 8,500 properties to the flood-plain zone, requiring those home to buy flood insurance for the first time.

There was a huge outcry from city officials and property owners as flood insurance premiums can run from $750 to more than $1,700 per year.

"That is not the case here in Wood-lake," City Manager Bill Lewis said. "This amendment only deals with new construction and does not change the flood-plain maps."

Lewis explained that the amendment was needed to satisfy a new FEMA mandate that increased the minimum foundation level from 1 foot above the flood-water level to 2 feet above the floodLwater level for any new construction in the flood-plain map.

The regulation will not apply to existing homes unless they are remodeled, rebuilt or added onto.

The flood-plain maps are still the same so no new homes were added to the flood-plain and no existing homes will have to pay flood insurance for the first time.

"This was somewhat of a house cleaning item for us," Lewis said.



Copyright 2010 The Foothills Sun-Gazette, Exeter, California. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 The Foothills Sun-Gazette Exeter, California. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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