Council not happy with FEMA flood maps
Wheelchair races were part of this year's Cy-Hawk Rivalry on Sumner event, which went off without a hitch last Thursday in downtown Humboldt. See more photos from the event in this week's Humboldt Independent and online at www.humboldtnews.com.
By Kent Thompson
The Humboldt City Council was caught in a “Catch 22” position in regard to a city ordinance during its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
The Council approved on second reading an ordinance amending Chapter 160 of City Code, pertaining to flood plain regulations.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has revised flood plain maps and the city must adopt them by ordinance prior to Nov. 3, or the city will lose the ability to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. The new maps do not use elevations from the previous maps and are not accurate.
Basically the agency took the 1981 flood maps and placed them over Google Map imagery.
“Until (FEMA) does actual hydrological studies on the river and sets base elevations, this is what we have,” Humboldt City Administrator Travis Goedken said.
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