ELIMINATING THE FLOOD HAZARD Flood Plain Regulations in Medina County 2006

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1 ELIMINATING THE FLOOD HAZARD Flood Plain Regulations in Medina County 2006 Steve Hambley, Medina County Commissioner Dan Willhoite, Medina County Highway Engineers Office & Floodplain Mgr. Choices in 2004 Status Quo Regulatory & Planning Solutions Market Solutions 1

2 Describing the Problem Describing the Problem 2

3 Describing the Problem Describing the Problem 3

4 Describing the Problem All Hazard and Flood Mitigation Planning Mitigation Planning in Medina County began with the formation of a committee (December 21, 2000) to become a Project Impact County. FEMA accepted and a formal signing ceremony was held on May 21, All Hazard and Flood Mitigation Plan Key purposes: Identify the possible risks and hazards that may affect Medina County through a systematic hazard identification and risk assessment process; Determine areas within Medina County that are vulnerable to various types of hazards; Strategize about the best approaches to avoid and mitigate impacts; Prioritize loss reduction and emergency preparedness activities; Included other important studies - Natural Resources Inventory (2002) and Chippewa Lake Watershed Study (2002) Adopted by local jurisdictions October March

5 Chippewa Lake Watershed Study (Sept. 2002) Were we moving fast enough? Gloria Glens Flooding, July 2003 July of 2003, slow moving thunderstorms dropped up to four inches of rain on Medina County. Flash flooding occurred in portions of the county during the evening hours inches of rain fell in Chippewa Lake and around 3.5 inches in the City of Medina. Over two inches of rain was measured between 6 and 7 pm. 5

6 July 2003 Medina Area Storm In Montville Township, the west branch of the Rocky River left its bank and flooded several homes along River Styx Road. The river rose nine feet above normal causing a basement wall in one of the houses to collapse. Extensive lowland and street flooding occurred in the City of Medina with several roads damaged by the floodwaters. Many homes were damaged by flooding in the city. A total of 37 homes and 110 apartment units sustained major flood damage in the county. An additional 73 homes and 2 apartments sustained minor damage. Many businesses were also affected. At least seven motorists were rescued from stranded cars during the storm. Status Quo in 2004 Subdivision and Development Trend Increasing frequency of encroachment into flood prone and marginal lands by proposed residential subdivisions. Medina County Subdivision Regulations (2004). Section 605 C.2. states that [w]here subdivisions are proposed to be located in areas of periodic flooding or in identified 100 year flood hazard areas, such flood prone areas should be left undeveloped as much as possible and reserved as private or public open space, recreation areas, etc. No area where natural elevation is shown as flood prone and for a distance of 20 feet beyond that area shall be used for building sites. 6

7 River Trace Subdivision, Medina Twp Valley Estates, Liverpool Twp Schalmo Subdivision, Wadsworth Twp Rider Subdivision, Medina Twp 7

8 Chippewa Lake View FEMA Floodplain Residential Subdivision adjoining Chippewa Lake Project Ended by Eminent Domain Action of Medina County Park District Rivendale Subdivision, Medina Twp 40% of site in FEMA Floodplain Most of Roadway impacted Clustered units, but 36 of the proposed 130 units impacted Plan opposed by Township County Planning Commission Emergency Management County Soil & Water District 8

9 STAND-OFF RESOLVED 50 Sublots Property to be subdivided with possible intermittent recreational use in floodplain Status Quo Cost of Ignoring Problem Flash Flooding 2003 Montville Township: $2.2 million for 11 houses 75% Federal with $540,000 local match. Township Trustees appealed to County Commissioners for local match - Not funded. Township trustees are currently pursuing FEMA funding for purchase of 2 of the houses most prone to flooding using their own local match. Gloria Glens Chippewa Lake Medina County Emergency Management working with Gloria Glens Village & Medina County Commissioners A combination of local, Federal (FEMA) and State (Green Ohio) funds totaling $2.95 million will be used to purchase and demolish 37 homes subjected to historic flooding and presented to the village for community parkland. To date,10 of these homes have been purchased by the county and 6 dwellings demolished. 9

10 Regulatory and Planning Solutions County Flood Damage Prevention Regulations Licking County example Drainage Mitigation through HB 25 Building Code HB 25, ORC (a) - A county building code may include regulations that provide for a review of the specific effects of a proposed new construction on existing surface or subsurface drainage. The regulations may require reasonable drainage mitigation and reasonable alteration of a proposed new construction before a building permit is issued in order to prevent or correct any adverse effects that the proposed new construction may have on existing surface or subsurface drainage. Community Rating System under National Flood Insurance Program Savings to NFIP premium rates for County Residents Initial Step Resolution # County Commissioners created County Flood Damage Prevention Committee on July 26, 2004 Make recommendations to County Commissioners regarding: Update Flood Plain Regulations Flood Plain Management & Damage Prevention Program Participation in Community Rating System under National Flood Insurance Program Become a cooperating technical partner with FEMA for the update of county flood plain areas. Other suggested changes in public policies that would further the public purposes of the program 10

11 Medina County Flood Damage Prevention Committee Members (2004) Steve Hambley, Medina County Commissioner C.P. Buck Adams, Medina County Emergency Management Dan Willhoite, Medina County Highway Engineers Office & Floodplain Mgr. Mike Salay, Medina County Highway Engineer Tim Vanderlaan, Medina County Homebuilders Association Doug Loehr, Medina County Homebuilders Association Tom Longsdorf, Village Mayor's Association David Kopchak, USDA Chris Hartman, Medina County Soil and Water Conservation District Tom Russell, Medina County Dept. of Planning Services Kathleen Scheuztow, Township resident and trustee Representative from each city (3) and the Township association (1) Flood Damage Prevention Committee Subcommittees formed: Mapping Higher Standards (Floodplain Regulations) Community Rating System Start the paperwork for Premium Reductions Research system& process for insurance savings Land Use & Planning 11

12 Potential Market Oriented Solutions Other ideas discussed in 2004 Local Stormwater Utilities created by Subdivision HB 549 All Subdivision Properties assessed for stormwater retention benefit of natural floodplain Properties substantially located in 100 year floodplain purchased by Local Stormwater Assessment Fund Permanent Benchmark on All Structures Located in 100 year Floodplains Medina County Building Code BUILDING NEW FLOOD HAZARDS Thomas Jefferson once wrote, The whole of government consists in the art of being honest. So to properly address this issue, we have to be honest about it. The problem is real and it won t go away. Flooding isn t bad; it s a natural process that helps to maintain the health of a stream or river. Flooding is bad when people decide to place buildings in the way of the natural overflow of the watercourse. To be honest about it, our message to those wanting to build subdivisions and homes that create new flood hazards should be, No thanks. We don t need any more. 12

13 Beyond the NFIP: Higher Standards Chapter 3 of ODNR Publication: Ohio Floodplain Regulation Criteria (Nov. 2002) Higher Standards Subcommittee County Emergency Management Agency Director County Soil & Water Conservation District Manager County Home Builders Association Executive Director City of Brunswick Engineer City of Medina Councilman County Engineer (Floodplain Administrator) 13

14 Higher Standards Considered Access Critical Development Materials Storage Compensatory Storage Floodway Rise Setbacks Use Restrictions Fill Higher Standards Selected Access Critical Development Materials Storage Compensatory Storage 14

15 Higher Standards Researched Ohio Floodplain Regulation Criteria (ODNR) Regulations from other communities in Ohio (Appendix C, Compendium of Higher Standards ) Regulations from other communities across the U.S. (Internet Search) No Adverse Impact: A Toolkit for Common Sense Floodplain Management (ASFPM, 2003) Association of State Floodplain Managers Higher Standards Proposed Fact Sheets were created to describe: Purpose Considerations Pro s and Con s, Other Communities w/ Standard Recommendation Including Draft Language 15

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18 Higher Standard Proposals Discussed and agreed upon by Higher Standards Subcommittee Presented to and accepted by Flood Damage Prevention Committee Draft revisions/additions to County s Flood Damage Reduction Regulations were submitted to: County Prosecutor s Office ODNR Floodplain Management Final adjustments to wording Resubmittal to ODNR Public Hearings for Commissioners adoption of revised regulations 18