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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: April 12, 2021 <br />TOPIC: FEMA Flood Map Updates <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Support Issuing a Press Release Noticing of FEMA <br />Updates to Kittitas County's Flood Hazard Maps <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Arden Thomas <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Support issuance of a press release noticing County residents of FEMA's updates to <br />Flood Hazard Rate Maps. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Kittitas County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. <br />Participating in the National Flood Hazard Program enables County residents to <br />take out a Federally backed mortgage and receive disaster assistance. <br />• FEMA developed floodplain maps for Kittitas County in 1981. In 2010, FEMA <br />initiated a process to update these maps. FEMA issued draft maps and received <br />public comments in 2014 and 2016, before issuing preliminary maps in 2017. <br />FEMA held public meetings in 2017 and there was an appeal period from January <br />to April 2018. <br />• FEMA delayed issuing a notification of final flood hazard determination in 2020 <br />due to COVID-19. On March 24, 2021, Kittitas County received notification of <br />final map determination from FEMA. <br />• The new maps will be effective on September 24, 2021. <br />Staff desires to inform the public about map changes and associated timeline. <br />Prior to the new maps becoming effective, the County must update its flood <br />control ordinance. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />In 1981, Kittitas County joined the National Flood Insurance Program. Participating in <br />the National Flood Hazard Program provides benefits to County residents, particularly <br />the ability to take out a Federal and Federally backed mortgage and receive disaster <br />assistance. It also makes Federal flood insurance available in our community. <br />Kittitas County must use Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Hazard Boundary Maps <br />that are provided by FEMA when regulating land use in floodplains. The maps that <br />FEMA has provided were developed 40 years ago (1981). In 2010, FEMA initiated a map <br />Page 1 of 4 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />