NOVEMBER 6, 2024|
Photo – FEMA flood zone map of Rawlins – Bigfoot99 file photo
Several Carbon County municipalities, some more willing than others, are joining Rawlins in adopting new floodplain ordinances.
Earlier this week, Bigfoot99 reported that Rawlins officials have reluctantly started the process of enacting Federal Emergency Management Agency regulations related to the newly expanded floodplain.
FEMA updated flood plain maps across the country in an apparent effort to place more properties within the flood zone, in part to collect more revenue nationwide. Properties once outside of the flood plain are now considered at risk of a 100-year flood. Being in the flood zone requires homeowners with federally backed mortgages to purchase flood insurance, shoring up the cash-strapped National Flood Insurance Program.
In Rawlins, FEMA’s new maps put more areas of the city in the flood plain, specifically the roughly 385 properties along Sugar Creek on the south side of the city. City Manager Tom Sarvey said he does not agree with the federal agency’s findings and the city has hired Engineering Associates to double-check FEMA’s work.
While the city waits for the engineer’s report, the governing body must begin the process of adopting FEMA’s regulations, which require residents in the newly expanded flood zone to purchase flood insurance. Doing so will place an additional financial strain on those residents. According to the Rawlins city website, flood insurance costs average between $500 and $1000 a year, based on the required coverage amount.
Speaking at the October 15th Rawlins city council meeting, Mayor Terry Weickum said he considered not adopting the ordinance. In the end, the mayor said the city must comply with FEMA to ensure continued access to federal funding.
All ordinance changes must be read three times during three separate public meetings. The Rawlins city council passed the ordinance to create a flood damage prevention ordinance for a second time during last night’s meeting.
Mayor Weickum encouraged the public to be patient while the city waits for the engineer’s report.
Meanwhile, in Saratoga, the town council also fought against the expanded flood plain, although unsuccessfully. In September of 2023, soon after receiving the updated flood maps from FEMA, the governing body voted to spend nearly $10,000 to hire S2O Design and Engineering, out of Lyons, Colorado, to review the maps for errors.
One month later, S2O Project engineer Nathan Werner informed the governing body that, in his expert opinion, FEMA’s maps do not appear to contain any major errors.
The council must now adopt FEMA’s flood damage prevention ordinance. At the October 15th Saratoga town council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner explained that the Planning Commission is adapting FEMA’s template ordinance to suit the town’s needs.
Penner said while FEMA requires the town to adopt a minimum set of standards for new construction within the expanded flood zone, the federal agency also offers a stricter set of guidelines.
However, Penner said he, Town Attorney Kylie Waldrip, and Wyoming National Flood Insurance Coordinator Kim Johnson agree that adding more regulations won’t benefit the town.
At the October 15th Saratoga town council meeting, Penner said the Planning Commission was still finalizing the details of the FEMA flood damage prevention ordinance. The draft ordinance was read and passed on first reading at last night’s Saratoga town council meeting.
While Rawlins and Saratoga have fought and continue to fight against the federal government, the town of Medicine Bow has willingly accepted to join FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program. During the October 14th town council meeting, Public Works Director Brian Lashley presented FEMA’s flood damage prevention ordinance template to the governing body. Lashley explained that the town must adopt the ordinance to be part of the National Flood Insurance Program. Any changes must be approved by Wyoming National Flood Insurance Coordinator Kim Johnson.
Public Works Director Lashley said the town has been part of the National Insurance Program for the past six years. Failure to renew the town’s membership will prohibit residents from purchasing flood insurance and prevent the town from receiving financial disaster assistance from FEMA.
The governing body of Medicine Bow voted to approve the flood damage prevention ordinance, following a review by Town Attorney Cameron Smith.
A similar situation occurred in Hanna. During the October 8th town council meeting, Clerk Vivian Gonzales explained that while Hanna is not in the flood zone, being part of the National Flood Insurance Program will allow residents to buy flood insurance if they choose. Clerk Gonzales said membership in the FEMA program comes at no cost to the town.
The Hanna council members unanimously voted to join the National Flood Insurance Program.
All municipalities have until December 20th to fully adopt the federal government’s required ordinance changes.
