“Major Investment” Coming to Ford City Homeowners
Ford City Council members and residents heard Monday night of a coming change that might affect their monthly insurance bills from Gibson-Thomas Engineering’s Doug Siler .
by Jonathan Weaver
Some of the tax savings Ford City homeowners are going to realize next year might have to go toward flood insurance early next year.
Monday evening, Gibson-Thomas Engineering’s Doug Siler explained to residents that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has changed local floodplain maps and that “a lot” of homeowners will be affected.
“If you have property that’s federally-backed with a loan or mortgage, you’re going to need to have flood insurance,” Siler said. “If you own property in the Borough but it’s paid off, it’s going to be up to your discretion if you want flood insurance or not.
“You just need to understand what the risks are.”
Homeowners who own their property and do not purchase flood insurance would then get only get disaster-relief funding if the Borough is declared a disaster zone - which would require future flood insurance.
“This is a statewide process FEMA is going through, and various counties throughout the state are in different stages of this map modernization process,” Siler said.
All Armstrong County communities are receiving map updates. The initial flood insurance rate map for Ford City Borough became effective in May 1987.
Ford City residences and businesses are currently protected by possible flooding via the Allegheny River via a small strip of land.
“FEMA assumed that that protected protection for the low-lying areas within the Borough – now, under the 2016 maps, FEMA no longer considers the low-lying areas protected from the 100-year floodplain,” Siler said. “There are 30-year-old regulations in the federal code saying in order for a to protect areas, it needs to meet certain criteria.
“Even though it’s been performing great for the 100 years that it’s been there, these are the requirements that still need to met in order for this to be considered a levee and show that it will provide protection.”
That criteria includes a three foot difference between the ground and the flood elevation, demonstrated embankment protection and ability to withstand impact from flooding disaster debris.
Updating that designation, plus ensuring all storm sewers are working effectively, cost six-figures, Siler estimated.
“This is a major investment that a community would have to go through,” Siler said.
Councilwoman Vicki Schaub has already scoured properties effected, and did not have good news.
“It’s going to be a big financial burden on everybody,” Schaub said. “You’re looking easily at $800 with the average home in town.”
Mayor Marc Mantini said the map changes are comparable to “a governmental slap in the face.”
“We should be touted for our success – we haven’t been flooded since 1913,” Mayor Mantini said.
Even though the new rate map becomes effective in two months - February 17, 2016, when banks and lending agencies will also contact customers affected – Siler said affected homeowners can purchase food insurance now based on the current low-hazard maps.
FEMA is concerned about floods, such as this one in 1936 that covered the steps into the old hospital (now the Armstrong County Health Center) on South McKean Street in Kittanning. The entrance is on the right top of the photo. Two men are seen with canoe boating across South McKean Street. (submitted)
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By jorn jensen, December 16, 2015 @ 9:04 AM
The next line should read “and if you can’t afford the insurance, you will be fined.”
Your government ‘at work for you’.
What a scam! All of the local dams, plus Kinzua, all have plenty of capacity to hold back flood waters - that’s how they were designed and installed - and, that’s how they’re managed to this day by the US Army Corp of Engineers.
If there’s any risk to insure in Ford city, then the skyscraper owners in Pittsburgh better buy a bunch of insurance.