MEETING TITLE: DATE AND TIME: Northern Alameda County Consultation Coordination Officer (CCO) Meeting May 27, 2015, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. LOCATION: 950 West Mall Square, Room 201 Alameda, CA ATTENDEES: Eric Simmons, FEMA Region IX Engineer Sarah Owen, FEMA Region IX Natural Hazards Program Specialist Xing Liu, FEMA Region IX - Planner Kris May, BakerAECOM Lisa Messano, BakerAECOM Daisy Allen, BakerAECOM Rohin Saleh, Alameda County Public Works Andy Otsuka, Alameda County Public Works Ramses Manelo, Alameda County Public Works Brian Spore, City of Hayward Damon Golubics, City of Hayward Erik Pearson, City of Hayward Eric Vollmer, City of Hayward Cynthia Battenberg, City of San Leandro Jerry Smith, City of San Leandro Robin Lee, Schaaf & Wheeler Laurie Kozisek, City of Alameda Wen Chen, City of Albany Maurice Kaufman, City of Emeryville Joshua Polston, Port of Oakland Joan Zatopek, Port of Oakland Tracy Clay, City of Berkeley PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION Welcome and Introductions Page1 Eric Simmons, FEMA Region IX engineer, introduced himself and explained that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the new coastal flood insurance study for northern Alameda County as part of the San Francisco Bay Area Coastal (BAC) Study. Other FEMA representatives also introduced themselves. Sarah Owen, responsible for regulations and compliance in Alameda County, is available to answer questions about new flood zones and what that means from a regulation point of view. Xing Liu, also in attendance, plays a similar role for San Mateo County. Eric noted that FEMA also has an insurance liaison, Edie Lohmann, who was not present at this meeting, but is available to answer questions. Eric welcomed all meeting attendees and invited them to introduce themselves.
Risk MAP and Region IX Coastal Studies Mr. Simmons discussed FEMA s Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) program. With the Risk MAP program, FEMA wants to not only communicate risk to officials, but to relay the message of flood risk to the public as well. Under Risk MAP, communities are encouraged to take action to reduce risk and losses in order to mitigate potential consequences. The end goal of the Risk MAP program is safer communities. We have flood risks and losses all the time, as seen in the news today with Texas. After a disaster we often hear that people didn t know the extent of the risk. The goal of the Risk MAP program, and meetings like today, are to enhance flood risk awareness and flood risk communication. One major objective of Risk MAP is to provide updated flood hazard data for 100% of the populated coast within the U.S. In Region IX, FEMA is doing that through the California Coastal Analysis and Mapping Project (CCAMP), which encompasses both the BAC and the Open Pacific Coast (OPC) Study. These studies are analyzing and mapping the elevation and inland extent of storm surge and waveinduced coastal flood hazards along the open coast of California and within the San Francisco Bay. See r9coastal.org for more information. How We Got Here Mr. Simmons noted that a Flood Risk Review (FRR) meeting was held in Northern Alameda County in March 2014 and in Southern Alameda County in October 2014. The FRR meetings covered technical aspects of the study. The Consultation Coordination Officer (CCO) meeting today focuses on the postpreliminary mapping process and procedures. Today s meeting addresses the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) updates for northern Alameda County, which includes the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Hayward and San Leandro. Alameda County took the lead for southern Alameda County and the FIRM panels are currently being reviewed and will be released as Preliminary data at a later date. After the FRR meeting, community officials for the incorporated areas of northern Alameda County were invited to provide comments for 60 days, up until June 21, 2014. This review period was voluntary, and not part of the regulatory due process. FEMA responded to comments in January 2015 and released the Preliminary FIRM panels on April 16, 2015. There were some small changes to the maps between the FRR meeting and issuance of the Preliminary maps in response to the comments received, but in essence the 1% annual chance flood zones have not substantially changed from the last year. Today s CCO meeting is the next step in the mapping process, and the first key step in the regulatory process. Preliminary Products Page2 All impacted panels have been released as Preliminary and incorporate coastal flooding along Bay shorelines. FEMA distributes one paper copy of the FIRM panels to each community; however, the maps area available online to everyone at no cost through the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Supporting the Preliminary maps is a Preliminary Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report that summarizes the hydrology, hydraulics, and coastal and riverine analysis 1, and a Preliminary Summary of Map Actions (SOMA) 1 The FIS report summarized all relevant analyses completed within the County. However, the updates associated with the current study are associated only with the San Francisco Bay Area Coastal Study. No new riverine analysis was completed as part of the current study.
which summarizes if the current effective Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) and Letters of Map Revision (LOMR) will be re-validated when the BAC study in northern Alameda County becomes effective, or if it will be superseded. FEMA recommends that all affected communities review the preliminary SOMA because it summarizes LOMA and LOMR-related map changes included in your city or county. This is important because homeowners will want to know how this map revision affects their property. The maps are still preliminary today and there are a number of steps to go through before the maps are effective and officially used for flood insurance purposes. Today we will highlight areas of map changes. There are some big areas proposed for map changes in Alameda County, and those areas will be reviewed today. We will also touch on insurance and on local responsibilities for safer development. Post-Preliminary Mapping Process After today s meeting, the next step is to publish the proposed changes to Flood Hazard Determinations in the Federal Register, and follow up with letters to each city as well as two notices in local newspapers. The second notice in the local newspaper starts the formal 90-day appeal period, which will likely take begin later this summer. After the end of the 90-day appeal period, FEMA will work to resolve any issues, make any final necessary changes to the FIRM panels and other study related information (e.g., FIS, SOMA). After the appeal period has ended and comments have been resolved, each city will receive a Letter of Final Determination (LFD) that finalizes the map revision. The LFD will set the effective date for the revised FIRM panels, which will be exactly six months after the LFD issuance date. Communities will use these six months to make any needed changes to their floodplain management ordinances in consideration of the updated flood risk information. Six months after the LFD date, the new FIRM panels will become effective. Sarah Owen noted that she would review all ordinances within northern Alameda County and the affected cities, and she will make sure these ordinances meet FEMA standards before the new FIRMs are adopted (i.e., become effective). She will contact cities and the county regarding exactly what ordinance changes are required and/or suggested. Question: When did the public comment period start and how do individual landowners get notification about FIRM changes? Are Preliminary maps only public once they are published in the Federal Register? Answer: FEMA mails Preliminary maps to the CEO for all cities/counties impacted by the map revision. Specific landowners are not necessarily provided with the Preliminary maps. It is up to cities/counties to convey the message to constituents. The Preliminary maps are publicly available from FEMA s Map Service Center where they were posted in April. Right now, FEMA can make changes to the maps at no expense to the communities, because the maps are still in the Preliminary phase. Once the FIRM panels are effective, changes to the panels are made at the expense of the communities and individuals therein. Ms. Owen encouraged attendees to review the Preliminary FIRM panels if they hadn t already done so. Page3 Question: What kind of changes could we have requested to the maps over the past months? Answer: Some cities hire outside consultants to independently verify FEMA s flood assessment. Also, you could identify typos, such as misspelled or mislabeled road names, for correction. FEMA is very confident in the BAC Study and the data that was used in the process. Mr. Simmons noted that FEMA hired consultants to conduct a 2D regional model of the entire Bay that used historic records for 54 years
and did statistical analysis for 8,000 points along the Bay shoreline. Transects were used to develop the mapping of the waves as they come onshore. BAC Study Review Dr. Kris May, BakerAECOM, presented a technical overview of the BAC Study process. She noted that there was a more detailed presentation of the technical aspects at the FRR meeting and materials from this meeting are still available on the r9coastal.org site. The analysis is based on a regional, large scale, 2D hydrodynamic MIKE 21 model of the whole San Francisco Bay. The regional modeling effort includes a 54-year simulation of Bay water levels, waves, and flood occurrences, as well as statistical analysis of 8,000 individual points along the Bay shoreline. The data are the starting point for mapping of the 1% annual chance flood elevations. The team performed additional modeling using transect analysis to study overland wave propagation (shallow slope areas) and wave run-up/overtopping (steep slope areas). In wave propagation, waves are transformed (reduced or increased) as they travel over land and across deep ponds, and the WHAFIS model was used and modified to account for Bay habitats and vegetation. The WHAFIS model outputs shows how waves transform as they interact with vegetation, rip-rap and other obstacles. In wave run-up analyses, as waves approach steep shorelines and coastal structures, the waves can break, resulting in wave run-up elevations that are much higher than modeled wave heights. Wave run-up can lead to overtopping of coastal structures, and this is considered within the analyses. Wave runup analyses apply wherever there is a levee, cliff or bluff (i.e., a steep slope). Depending on the slope, FEMA has different methods that are detailed in Appendix D of the Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners. Anywhere the model predicts wave heights greater than 3 feet the area is mapped as a VE zone. VE Zones are associated with more wave energy and therefore greater risk. Areas with wave heights lower than 3 feet are mapped as AE zones. The model also helps determine what the base flood elevation (BFE) should be. The BFE elevation is the elevation (relative to NAVD88) to which flood waters may propagate. Question: Why didn t you use the HEC model (US Army Corps of Engineers [USACE])? Answer: HEC is standard for riverine analysis but cannot analyze the San Francisco Bay because it does not include all of the complex Bay processes under consideration, and it cannot provide the boundary conditions needed for transect-based modeling of overland wave hazards. FEMA started the BAC study in 2004 by convening a panel of experts, including USACE, to determine what model (or models) would be most appropriate for this FEMA study because Bay coastal hazards are complex. The MIKE 21 model is an excellent model to analyze wind and wave generation, mud flat wetting and drying, and other Bayspecific phenomenon so that we can have confidence in calibrating and validating the model. Page4 The MIKE 21 model is appropriate for tidal swell, wind and wave generation, and other Bay forces. The North and Central Bay analyses were done first, and the South Bay was represented in the first-generation regional modeling effort, but not to the level of accuracy needed for FEMA mapping. The South Bay regional modeling was refined at a later date, but these refinements did not impact the accuracy or model validation of the original regional modeling effort for the North and Central Bay.
Area of Mitigation Interest Northern Alameda County is the first county associated with the BAC Study to receive a Changes Since Last FIRM (CSLF) map at the preliminary FIRM stage. The CSLF map depicts the changes within the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) since the previous map revision with the color orange depicting new SFHA and green depicting areas removed from the SFHA. It does not show specific zone change, or changes in the Base Flood Elevation. This map is available as a PDF from the r9map.org website and is a helpful way to see the map changes throughout Alameda. The CSLF map can also be helpful during community outreach meetings. Another product developed for community outreach purposes are Area of Mitigation Interest (AOMI) fact sheets which include a summary of the map changes within a community, as well as an explanation for the change. Dr. May noted that the AOMI fact sheets include maps showing what each area looks like on the 2009 effective FIRM panel and the Preliminary 2015 FIRM panels. The AOMI fact sheets were created at the community scale, and are accompanied by transect locations, modeling data and text descriptions of the changes. Differences in flood zone elevation from 2009-2015 are due to better topographic data and more sophisticated modeling approaches which capture the coastal and wave hazards. The AOMI map set was created for individual cities to reference when questions arise regarding the BAC Study data, and they can be a very helpful communication tool to better understand and explain the coastal analysis and resulting map changes. Dr. May said that FEMA could create additional AOMI fact sheets for other areas if necessary. The city of Berkeley requested a fact sheet. Dr. May showed an example for the City of Albany, which was zoned AE 9 in 2009 along the Bay coast and based on limited 1980 s data and analysis. Based on better topography and more coastal analysis with the BAC Study (in particular the inclusion of wave analyses), the coastal areas are now designated as VE zones along the shoreline. Ms. Sarah Owen noted that changes from A zones to V zones will mean a higher level of regulations with regard to each community s floodplain management ordinance and compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program. Ms. Owen explained that this may impact permitting processes within the impacted communities. Question: Is V zone regulation impacting any land areas or just the Bay? Answer: Yes, V zones can extend into land areas. Page5 Question: Did you incorporate sea level rise into the model? Answer: No, FEMA did not consider sea level rise on this round of FIRM updates. The current updates present flood mapping based on long-term hindcast data (i.e., what has happened in the past) because flood insurance must be based on current (i.e., existing conditions) data; FIRM maps do not currently map potential future conditions. However, Alameda County is using the BAC data in the Adapting to Rising Tides program, which is focused on sea level rise. Also, FEMA is conducting a study on the San Francisco open coast which involves mapping sea level rise. Sarah Owen noted that although sea level rise is not officially included on the FIRM maps, if sea level rise is a concern to you, you can incorporate a one-foot (or larger) rise into your municipal planning documents. Question: Is coastal zone A going to be included in the FIRM maps? Answer: Yes, we don t differentiate between coastal and riverine zone AE at this time. Zone AE designates a level of risk, and the risk can be associated with either coastal or riverine flood hazards.
Question: How do the maps for the Bay include the requirement of a certain water depth to have a ring wall or Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA)? Answer in general V zones don t go over large areas of land with the Bay (i.e., wave hazards are dissipated before they reach developed areas). The only areas that made sense to model or map the LiMWA were in marsh land which is public and with no real chance of development; therefore the LiMWA was not mapped within the Bay or along the Alameda County shoreline. Question: City of Emeryville has a breakwater so why is it zoned AE? Answer: Although the breakwater provides protection from wave hazards, the harbor is still not protected from the storm surge which could reach 10 for the 1-percent annual chance storm. Some portions of the harbor are more sheltered than others and that is presented on the AOMI map. The 2009 map had all V zones (as opposed to VE) with no elevation because there was no detailed analysis. With the new study, regional hydrodynamic modeling, wave modeling and transect analysis, we are better able to capture actual coastal hazards. In general, this area has a lower coastal hazard since it is mapped as Zone AE (moderate to limited wave hazards) as opposed to Zone V (higher wave hazards of indeterminate elevation) or Zone VE (higher wave hazards with elevation information). Question: There are some orange/brown areas on the City of Emeryville AOMI map that are 0.2% hazard areas (500-year flood zones). Are they designated as such due to low elevation? Answer: The brown areas are within the 0.2% or 500-year flood hazard area. Due to better topography, we know that the elevation at those locations is below the 500-year coastal storm surge water elevation. Dr. May presented the City of Oakland AOMI, which shows that a portion of the Bay Bridge approach was previously VE 9 and is now VE 11-12, including some areas along the roadway that could be flooded in the vicinity of the toll plaza. FEMA has already engaged Caltrans regarding this issue. The City of Alameda AOMI shows a lot of changes compared with the 2009 effective FIRMs, including removing all Zone D mapping, adding Zone AE 11 and 10 in inland developed areas, Zone AE 10 within the San Leandro Channel, and Zone VE areas along the Bay shorelines. Dr. May said that the AOMI fact sheet will be a helpful communication tool for this community. Question: What is Zone D? Answer: Zone D means a flood risk is likely present, but the flood risk has not been determined. Property in Zone D is not necessarily required to obtain insurance, although a lender may require flood insurance. In Zone D, you flood insurance rates are typically higher since the flood risk has not been determined through detailed analysis. Page6 Dr. May presented the Alameda/Bay Farm AOMI, which shows higher VE elevations along most exposed shorelines (VE 13-14) as well as multiple new in-channel AE zones within the lagoons. The lagoon on Bay Farm Island is overtopped at the tide gate near the Bay Farm Bridge, so there are a lot of new flood risk areas along the lagoon and a need for mitigation options. Sarah Owen noted that the new AE flood zone means that in addition to new construction, if homeowners are making substantial improvements to existing structures (over 50% structure value), that work will
trigger regulations requiring home elevation. Substantial damage can also trigger the requirement to enforce regulations for structures in V zones. For non-residential structures, regulations allow either structure elevation or flood proofing. Question: What if you have an existing zone that will change from X to AE, and your existing home is already elevated 2 feet over a crawlspace. Would you still have to elevate in the event of major home construction, or would you be okay since the home is already 2 feet above ground? Answer: A structure in this situation would already be in compliance because at the time it was built, it was in compliance with the map that was effective at the time. However, there may be a flood insurance requirement when the new maps become effective if the home has a federally-backed mortgage, and the first floor elevation is below the base flood elevation (BFE). Once the new maps are effective, if there is substantial damage or improvement, you would need to elevate the first floor above the base flood elevation (e.g., AE 10). If the property owner wants to be removed from the requirement to carry flood insurance, they would need to have the lowest adjacent grade elevation of the structure at or above the BFE. In the case of a crawlspace, you could fill the crawlspace in with dirt in order to bring the adjacent elevation above BFE. If the structure is slab on grade, you don t have an option. You can elevate the structure, which may come with substantial cost, or you can work with your community to construct neighborhood-scale flood protection which can benefit multiple structures. One potential option for the Bay Farm Island lagoon communities may be to upgrade the tide gate structure and implement improvements so that the structure can be accredited by FEMA as providing protection from the 1% annual chance flood. Lisa Messano noted that cities and/or the county may want to advise constituents to purchase flood insurance now to get grandfathered insurance rates. Some of the worksheets provided at the meeting are regarding this process. Mr. Simmons clarified that if there is a property owner who is newly mapped, FEMA encourages them to buy flood insurance sooner rather than later. Structures newly mapped into the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) may benefit from a Preferred Risk Policy (PRP), which has a lower rate than the Standard Zone X rate, but this should be secured before the new maps become effective. If a property owner newly mapped in the SFHA doesn t buy the PRP ahead of time and has a mortgage, their lender will contact them and tell them they have 45 days to purchase insurance before the mortgage company purchases insurance for them, oftentimes at a higher rate. Sarah Owen urged cities/counties to think about this when they are notifying the public about the maps. It may make sense to have a meeting regarding regulations and insurance and invite FEMA (or at least have FEMA review meeting materials for accuracy). Ms. Owen also noted that it takes 30 days for flood insurance to become effective. Comment: For the City of Alameda, since the new FIRMs will affect 1,800 parcels, the city is planning a direct mailing to the affected residents. Response: That is a great idea. As a potential option, the mailing could specifically advertise any upcoming meeting. It will be easier for the city to answer questions from the public via meeting instead of individually. Page7 Dr. May went on to present the AOMI for City of San Leandro. There is a newly mapped Zone AE area which is a result of overtopping of Bay waters through a single property, as well as overtopping along a riverine channel. Alameda County is already coordinating with the city to discuss potential mechanisms to mitigate and reduce flood hazards. FEMA has an interest in working with cities and counties to understand how these types of situations can be mitigated.
Comment: City of San Leandro representative noted they were working with Alameda County to ensure that hopefully none of the 2000 parcels affected by this overtopping will be added to the final FIRM. Alameda County representative asked how they can best resolve a channel flooding issue. FEMA is also at the table for these discussions. Dr. May finished by presenting the AOMI for City of Hayward, noting that further south in the Bay, tidal amplification means that storm surge elevations will be higher. New mapping indicates Zone VE 13-15 along the shoreline and Zone AE 10-11 in inland areas. There is not a lot of impact on developed areas, mostly salt ponds. Use of Preliminary Data as Best Available Data Mr. Simmons explained that he often is asked whether cities have to use Preliminary data before the data becomes final (e.g., effective). FEMA has a guidance document (1-98) where it is explained in detail when you must, should or can t use Preliminary FIRM data. For Zone AE, where BFE has increased, FEMA encourages the use of preliminary BFEs prior to the maps becoming effective as best available data. There is no requirement to use the new data until the maps become effective; however communities that elect to do this help to mitigate potential flood risk as well as potential impacts on flood insurance premiums. Once the maps become effective in 2016, the communities are required to use this data. Public Outreach Discussion Mr. Simmons explained that these new flood maps provide an important opportunity for the community to talk about disaster preparedness in general and flooding in particular. FEMA can easily participate in these community meetings, and is happy to support these meetings but cities/counties must host. Ms. Messano noted that the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) are doing a series of workshops on hazard mitigation plan updates. Even if your city is not annexed as part of the previous ABAG Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, these meetings provide a great learning opportunity and are useful to attend if you are considering updates to your hazard mitigation plan. The first round of meetings focused on community engagement. The second round of workshops will be conducted during the third week of June and the focus will be on risk analysis. The third and final round of workshops will be in August and focus on mitigation planning. The new FIRM data from the BAC Study should definitely be included in city/county hazard mitigation plan updates. Ms. Owen commented that most people attending the CCO meeting were not directly responsible for hazard mitigation planning, so it will be important for CCO attendees to reach out to the people actively involved in developing and updating these plans. Letters of Map Change and Elevation Certificate Page8 Letters of Map Change (LOMCs) are changes to FIRM maps specific to a building or lot, or in some cases, multiple lots and structures. LOMCs are generally issued if there is an error on the original FIRM map or a change in structure elevation that changes the flood zone for a particular property. Most cities keep LOMCs on file, but if a LOMC has been issued within the last 20 years it is also available online at the FEMA Map Service Center: http://msc.fema.gov. FEMA can also access hard copies of earlier
LOMCs. Note that Letters of Map Revision (LOMRs) are sent to cities, whereas Letters of Map Amendment (LOMAs) are sent to property owners. LOMCs within each community were assessed for inclusion in a Preliminary SOMA and placed in four categories: incorporated into the revised FIRM panels; not incorporated but will be re-issued one day after the FIRM effective date; superseded; or need more information to be re-determined. Dr. May noted that the Preliminary SOMAs are not available on the FEMA Map Service Center website, but are available at the Alameda County page on r9coastal.org along with other non-regulatory products and information. Question: Can you clarify the map amendment process? Answer: The map amendment process was established for structures inadvertently included in the high risk zone. A property owner can submit an elevation certificate showing that the home is above BFE. If LAG (lowest adjacent grade) is above BFE then FEMA can issue a LOMA. There is also an option to request an Out as Shown map amendment without the need of an elevation certificate if a structure is clearly within Zone X rather than an SFHA zone such as Zone AE or VE (i.e., the structure is approximately 20 or more feet outside of the SFHA, as shown on the printed FIRM scale). When a structure is located within close proximity to the SFHA, FEMA typically requires the use of elevation data to make a precise determination regarding the status of the request. Question: Will the new mapping obliterate previous LOMCs and LOMAs? Answer: In most cases these letters are still valid. They will need to be revalidated once the final map panels go into effect. The Preliminary SOMA provides the best current estimate of which LOMCs and LOMAs will be revalidated, and which will be superseded. Some determinations may require further information at this stage, and FEMA strongly encourages all communities to review the Preliminary SOMA and provide additional information if possible to assist FEMA in making the determinations. FEMA provided the preliminary SOMA to each city/county, which included specific properties with case numbers and determinations. A final SOMA will be prepared when the maps become effective. The city/county will be responsible for sending revised letters to homeowners. Also note that elevation certificate forms are still valid even after the expiration date. There was discussion of the Community Rating System, which is a FEMA program where communities can perform extra safety measures and get points that save them money on flood insurance premiums for constituents. City of San Leandro and County of Alameda participate in this program. It is a win-win but there is a paperwork burden as well as extra effort at the city/county level. Ms. Owen is available to answer questions and do quick calculations on money that could be saved if other cities are interested in the program. Page9 Question: Are garages included in this analysis? Answer: If garages are attached to the main building structure, then they are included in LAG analysis. Note that for lagoon communities, if deck/stairs supports are structurally attached to the main building, then LAG is the footing of that deck or stairs which may be within the lagoon itself. So a key question for a LOMA is whether or not the garage/deck is attached.