Dry Creek floodplain map on fast track

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Property owners in the Dry Creek drainage received hopeful news on March 19, when Federal Emergency Management Agency officials presented a progress report on the area's floodplain status. The process is moving more quickly than expected, according to FEMA officials, and final maps could be ready as soon as Nov. 2.

The historical Dry Creek floodplain included much of North College Avenue, plus a large area bordering East Mulberry Street on the north. Fort Collins recently spent $10 million to remove much of the drainage from the 100-year floodplain, but property owners' hands are tied until FEMA issues a floodplain map revision. Jax Outdoor Gear and other businesses have been awaiting the new maps so they can go ahead with development plans.

The project reduced the 100-year floodplain from 1,400 acres to 300 acres. After the map revisions are finalized this fall, there is a six-month mandatory waiting period during which local jurisdictions must adopt the changes. Nonetheless, according to Dan Carlson of FEMA's Region VIII, the city and county can work with developers during the six-month period. As soon as Fort Collins and Larimer County officially adopt the new floodplain maps, developers may apply for building permits based on the revised flood elevation figures.

Flood insurance will be required until the six-month period is over, but property owners can receive refunds on those premiums, FEMA officials said.

Kevin Doyle, an engineer with Baker Engineering which reviewed the Fort Collins floodplain change submittal, noted that the city's application was "outstanding" and resulted in a faster turn-around time with FEMA. Normally the FEMA review process takes at least six months, but in this case all the minor problems were resolved in six weeks.

"We're trying to push this through as quickly as we can," said Rick Sacbibit of FEMA's Washington, D.C., office.

The next step for FEMA is to create drafts of the new digital floodplain maps, which will be used by insurance companies, developers and planning and building departments for the city and county. The drafts should be ready by mid-May, and city and county staff will have 30 days to review them for accuracy. A 90-day public comment and appeal period will begin in July, and once any necessary changes are made, FEMA will issue a Letter of Final Determination.

For the past several years, Fort Collins has used floodplain maps that were more restrictive than FEMA's. Water planning manager Bob Smith said that once the new FEMA maps are officially adopted, "there will be one floodplain."

As an interesting byproduct of the map revision process, the area north of Mulberry Street and east of Lemay Avenue, including the former downtown airport, was officially removed from the Cache la Poudre floodplain. This opens the way for development of the old airpark. Fort Collins Utilities staff convinced FEMA officials that Lemay Avenue acts as a barrier to flooding east of Lemay.

Representatives from the offices of Sen. Wayne Allard and Sen. Ken Salazar attended the March 19 meeting, as did members of the Mulberry Corridor Owners Association. Jennifer Hays, an employee of Donaldson & Co., which is a member of MCOA, said the Dry Creek Drainage Improvement Project "takes a lot of our property owners north of Mulberry out of the floodplain," clearing the way for new development and business improvements.

Businesses and residents formerly in the floodplain will no longer have to carry flood insurance on their properties.