Snohomish County fights federal flood maps
Published 7:46 am Tuesday, May 3, 2011
STARTUP — Snohomish County leaders are preparing to mount a stronger challenge to federal flood-insurance maps that many locals feel overstate their actual risk of flood danger.
County Executive Aaron Reardon’s office confirmed Monday that it is working to lodge a formal appeal with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The county intends to argue that railroad tracks running near U.S. 2 have effectively shielded Startup, an unincorporated area east of Sultan, from Skykomish River floodwaters. Preliminary FEMA flood maps ignored the tracks, saying the earthworks they sit upon did not qualify as a certified levee.
On Monday, the County Council passed a motion 5-0 in support of the appeal.
“This is the strongest course of action we can take,” County Council Chairman Dave Somers said.
The new FEMA guidelines discounting some levees and levee-like structures risk have sparked an outcry throughout the country. The agency has promised to review those regulations. While that’s ongoing, however, people in Startup and elsewhere have been scrambling to appeal.
People in Startup are working to file theirs by May 12.
In April, Somers and Reardon sent a joint letter asking FEMA to extend the appeal deadline, though the federal agency appears unwilling to grant that request.
If the controversial maps get final approval, they could force 285 new households in Snohomish County, mostly in Startup, to start buying flood-insurance policies. The change could cause a significant drop in property values, too.
The county was contracted to draw up the flood maps using FEMA guidelines.
County staff believe that Startup and other areas have been protected by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks since 1891.
The tracks were included in an original U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Flood Control project in the 1960s. Since then, the tracks have withstood several large floods, including a record-breaking flood in 1990 as well as 2006 floods that were nearly identical to a 100-year flood. The county also says regular maintenance of the railroad embankment makes the risk of failure low.
Of late, businesses around Startup have taken up the cause with signs urging people to “sign the flood appeal.”
Part-time Startup resident Scott Lange has been one of leaders for the community’s response to FEMA. He has been satisfied with the county’s recent actions, after initial frustration with what he views as a lack of notice about the possible changes.
“We’re getting full support and participation from the town,” Lange said. “I think the county took us seriously and got involved and I’m hoping this story has a good ending.”
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
