HomeMy WebLinkAboutFloodplain Management Measures for the City of La Porte CQ\I} U.S. 1 epa n o omelan�`_** rity
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RETURN RECEIPT REQUES 1'ED
OCT 062016
The Honorable Louis R.Rigby CITY SECR Ry
Mayor, City of La Porte OFFice s
604 West Fairmont Parkway
La Porte,Texas 77571
Dear Mayor Rigby:
I commend you for the efforts that have been put forth in implementing the floodplain management
measures for the City of La Porte,Texas,to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP). As you implement these measures,I want to emphasize the following:
- a Flood Insurance Study(FIS)and Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)have been
completed for your community;
- the FIS and FIRM will become effective on January 6,2017;and
- by the FIS and FIRM effective date,the Department of Homeland Security's Federal
Emergency Management Agency(FEMA)Regional Office is required to approve the
legally enforceable floodplain management measures your community adopts in
accordance with Title 44 Code of Federal Regulations Section 60.3(d)and(e).
As noted in FEMA's letter dated July 6,2016,no significant changes have been made to the flood
hazard data on the Preliminary and/or revised Preliminary copies of the FIRM for Harris County.
Therefore,the City of La Porte should use the Preliminary and/or revised Preliminary copies of the
FIRM as the basis for adopting the required floodplain management measures. Final printed copies
of the FIRM for the City of La Porte will be sent to you within the next few months.
If you encounter difficulties in enacting the measures,I recommend you contact the Texas Water
Development Board. You may contact Michael Segner, CFM,the NFIP State Coordinator,by
telephone at(512)463-3509, in writing at 1700 North Congress Avenue,Post Office Box 13231,
Austin, Texas 78711-3231, or by electronic mail at michael.segner@twdb.texas.gov.
The FEMA Regional staff in Denton, Texas,is also available to provide technical assistance and
guidance in the development of floodplain management measures. The adoption of compliant
floodplain management measures will provide protection for the City of La Porte and will ensure its
participation in the NFIP. The Regional Office may be contacted by telephone at(940) 898-5127 or
in writing. Please send your written inquiries to the Director,Federal Insurance and Mitigation
Division,FEMA Region VI, at Federal Regional Center, 800 North Loop 288,Denton, Texas
76209-3698.
www.fema.gov
i
. 's
The Honorable Louis R.Rigby
SEP 23216
Page 2
The NFIP State Coordinating Office for your State has verified that Texas communities may include
language in their floodplain management measures that automatically adopt the most recently
available flood elevation data provided by FEMA. Your community's floodplain management
measures may already be sufficient if the measures include suitable automatic adoption language and
are otherwise in accordance with the minimum requirements of the NFIP. The NFIP State
Coordinator can assist you further in clarifying questions you may have about automatic adoption.
You may have already contacted the NFIP State Coordinator and/or the FEMA Regional Office, and
may be in the fmal adoption process or recently adopted the appropriate measures. However, in the
event your community has not adopted the appropriate measures,this letter is FEMA's official
notification that you only have until January 6,2017,to adopt and/or submit a floodplain
management ordinance that meets or exceeds the minimum NFIP requirements,and request approval
from the FEMA Regional Office by the effective date. Your community's adopted measures will be
reviewed upon receipt and the FEMA Regional Office will notify you when the measures are
approved.
I appreciate your cooperation to ensure that your community's floodplain management measures are
approved by the FEMA Regional Office by January 6,2017. Your compliance with these
mandatory program requirements will enable your community to avoid suspension from the NFIP.
Sincerely,
Rachel Sears,Director
Floodplain Management Division
Mitigation Directorate I FEMA
cc: Tony Robinson,Regional Administrator,FEMA Region VI
Michael Segner, CFM,NFIP State Coordinator,Texas Water Development Board
Bob Eng,City Engineer, City of La Porte