Meeting Tuesday to help residents with changes to flood maps

Gloucester County:

“Some Gloucester residents may find themselves in a floodplain area for the first time, which may impact whether they will need to purchase flood insurance and, if they already have flood insurance, their annual rates. Gloucester officials will hold an informational public open house from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at Achilles Elementary School for residents to review the changes and ask questions about the preliminary FEMA flood insurance rate maps.

According to Gloucester’s building official Paul Koll, about 5,000 postcards were mailed earlier this month to all county residents whose property may be at flood risk. He urged those who received the postcards to check their current flood risk on the FEMA updated coastal flood insurance rate maps, which can be found by visiting the county’s website at www.gloucesterva.info.”

 ~Writes Quinton Sheppard of Gazette-Journal

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Planning Commission forges ahead despite lack of new floodplain maps

Colonial Beach

“A public hearing was also conducted regarding changes that must be implemented to the floodplain overlay district. Changes involve additional regulations to any new construction within the floodplain areas.

The need for these changes came to light in response to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) updating the current floodplain maps (also called Flood Insurance Rate Maps) in Westmoreland County and Colonial Beach… Not only do town officials anticipate a larger floodplain area, but areas with a 500-year flood risk are expected to be raised to a higher risk of 100-year or less flood risk, due to more frequent occurrences of flooding.” 

~Writes The Journal

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Clock's Ticking on Boat Club Negotiations

City of Alexandria

“After initially keeping quiet on the status of negotiations for the Old Dominion Boat Club’s waterfront parking lot, city officials have lifted — ever so slightly — the veil of silence.

A city spokesman has confirmed that talks for the coveted shoreline parcel are underway. After years of on-again, off-again negotiations, Mayor Bill Euille made it clear in the fall that City Hall would use eminent domain to secure the land if an agreement remained elusive much longer.

Following a lengthy November public hearing on the topic, city councilors opted to extend talks for a further 90 days, with the option of eminent domain still on the table if negotiations break down again. Officials want to turn the parking lot into a waterfront plaza and use nearby club property for flood-mitigation efforts.”
~Writes Derrick Perkins of the Alexandria Times

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