COM 0387.002 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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t ~ MAN ~F3 Federal Emergency Management Agency H T, Region IX o * Building 105 Presidio of San Francisco San Francisco, California 94129 September 3, 1997 Donna Fay K. Kiyosaki Chief Engineer Deportment of Public Works Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4252 Dear Ms. Kiyosaki: This is in support of County efforts to adopt an ordinance amendment that will expeditiously address floodway encroachments that result in violations to the Floodplain management ordinance. Section 27-18 of the Hawaii County Ordinance No. 9378 prohibits filling within an identified floodway or in areas of special flood hazards that would result in the blockage or impediment of flow if any increase in base flood elevations occur. The County is responsible for ensuring that all violations of this and other ordinance provisions are remedied in n timely fashion. Failure to adequately address violations could result in sanctions including the suspension of flood insurance eligibility as identified in Section 59.24(b) of Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations. There are also potential hazards that have not been identified by FEMA due to the cost constraints in our mopping budget. Within the County of Hawaii are "unnumbered A zones". These areas are known to be generally subject to flooding from a 100 year storm but the depths and velocities have not been developed under a FEMA detailed study. Other areas may possess hazards that the County is aware of that are not reflected on the Flood Insurance Rate Map. Lock of formal identification of flood hazard areas by FEMA does not absolve a community of its responsibility to regulate known flood hazard areas. The magnitude of damage that could occur as n result of stream encroachment is a concern being addressed in the proposed amendment to the Hawnii County flood control ordinance