MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 3:30 P.m.
Town Hall, 1st Floor Conference Room
302 Main Street, Old Saybrook
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman L. Ritzhaupt called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present
Larry Ritzhaupt
Janice Holland
Douglas McCracken
Michael Momparler
Thomas Gezo
Robert Yust
Jerry Brophy (arrived at 3:40 p.m.)
John Donnelly (arrived at 3:48 p.m.)
Land Use Department Staff Present
Christine Nelson, Town Planner
Sandy Prisloe, Environmental Planner
Christina Costa, Zoning Enforcement Officer
Steven Mongillo, Water Pollution Control Authority
Robbie Marshall, Water Pollution Control Authority
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
III. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Minutes
MOTION to approve the minutes from the Conservation Commission’s Sea Level Rise Climate Adaptation Committee’s Regular Meeting of July 10, 2014 as presented.; MADE by M. Momparler; SECONDED by T. Gezo; VOTED IN FAVOR: L. Ritzhaupt, D. McCracken, J. Holland, T. Gezo, R. Yust, M. Momparler; OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 6-0-0.
- Correspondence & Announcements
W. Smith has resigned from this Committee because of his time commitment as Chairman of the Conservation Commission. L. Ritzhaupt said the SLRCAC is very thankful for all of his hard work and effort. Kathleen Noyes will now be recording the meeting minutes.
- Mission, Topics & Timelines
L. Ritzhaupt announced the timeline for the work of this Committee. He said the SLRCAC has 18 months to complete their task and generate a report for the town to review. He explained that there are three sections of the report which are economy, environment and community. Then each group will make a presentation to the Committee at large.
By the end of July 2014, all Committee members will be assigned to one of the three topics: economics, environment or community.
By October 2014, a press release will be provided on the work of the SLRCAC, and primary questions that will be addressed in the final report. This will be the start of the community outreach and education by the SLRCAC. Further planning for the education and outreach will be addressed.
By November 2014, all areas of interest will be agreed upon with each of the three subgroups: economy, environment and community. Each subgroup will craft their section of the report. Town Staff S. Prisloe, C. Nelson and C. Costa will work with the subgroups on this.
By July 2015, all drafts should be completed, and each subgroup will review and revise their documents.
By December 2015, the final report should be completed and ready for presentation to town officials.
At the 7/10/14 CCSLRCAC meeting, Committee members worked on the mission statement. M. Momparler worked on the wording, and he proposed changes to the statement. Committee members made suggestions and discussed key elements of the statement. The charge for this Committee comes from an action item from the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan to study sea level rise in the context of climate change.
L. Ritzhaupt asked M. Momparler to add some language to the mission statement based on the comments made by Committee members, and he tabled approval of the mission statement until the next meeting of the SLRCAC which will be 8/14/14 at 3:30 p.m., Town Hall, 1st Floor Conference Room.
IV. GUEST PRESENTATION
- “Construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas”
Christina Costa, Zoning Enforcement Officer, Land Use Dept.
C. Costa presented a power point. She distributed a copy of the Flood Plain Ordinance which the town must participate in to be a part of FEMA. She also handed out sheets with FEMA diagrams and flood facts.
L. Ritzhaupt asked C. Costa to post her information on the SLRCAC web site.
In Old Saybrook, Flood Regulations are made through an ordinance through the Board of Selectman that is enforced by C. Costa as well as Building Official Don Lucas and Town Engineer Geoff Jacobson.
Towns are required to participate in the FEMA program to be eligible for flood relief and for residents to be able to purchase flood insurance. The only entity that insures is FEMA. The insurance companies write the policies for a fee. Old Saybrook started to participate in FEMA in 1978. If Old Saybrook does not follow the minimum standard, Lloyd’s of London would be the only choice for flood insurance because the town would not qualify for FEMA.
The town must approve FEMA map changes, or residents will be denied flood insurance through FEMA. The Flood Insurance Maps are based on historical information.
Flood Zones have different implications. A Zones are more inland. They are rated for 100-year flood, but they also have a velocity factor to them. The AE Zone is a 100-year flood zone.VE means velocity is a factor is well as flood. B Zones are on the water. X Zones are the 500-year zones.
Fenwick has their own ordinance and regulations because Fenwick is a Borough not a neighborhood association, so the Town Hall does not set or enforce their ordinances or regulations.
Periodically, the ordinances are reviewed and updated. Homes have been elevated and constructed to withstand the 100-year flood storms.
The Town’s regulations are based on the FEMA maps and the FEMA information. The Town has to adopt minimum standards in order to participate in FEMA. Town ordinance requires substantial damage or substantial improvement minimum standards be met. If an applicant wants to spend more than 50% of the structure value of their home within 10 years, they must elevate their home per FEMA standards. This is a cumulative value over 10 years.
With any structure, in the A Zones and AE Zones, FEMA projects base flood elevation. Flood vents allow water to enter and exit during a storm event. Without the vent, foundation damage is very likely.
The town assessor’s value for the structure is the value used. If the homeowner disputes it, he or she can hire an independent assessor. C. Costa explained that the assessor’s value is not the same as a real estate appraisal.
Below the base flood elevation, the homeowner cannot have joists, ductwork, electrical work or anything that can be damaged by a flood. Anything underneath should be able to withstand a flood.
The Town requires that the homeowner file a flood restriction on the land records. If the homeowner stores anything below the house, it will not be covered by flood insurance.
Some homeowners use concrete or wooden piles. Some homeowners screen the piles with windows and lattice that can withstand flood. The mechanicals must be elevated on the exterior. Water heaters must be elevated above the flood level.
In V Zones, right on the water, 100-year flood plus velocity, the homeowner cannot use fill for structural support. Breakaway walls are allowed. Mechanical engineers are involved in VE construction.
Flood insurance is depreciated coverage. It is not replacement cost coverage.
The FEMA maps were adopted on October 23, 2012, and October 29, 2012 was when Superstorm Sandy hit.
Old Saybrook lost 2 homes to fire on Saye Street during Superstorm Sandy. Fires are sometimes caused during flooding storms when water gets into the electrical systems.
C. Costa explained ICC which is the Increased Cost of Compliance. A homeowner can get up to $30,000.00 to elevate their house with a FEMA standard policy. Every adjuster interprets the ICC policy differently. It can cost much more than $30,000.00 to elevate a house. It’s often more cost effective to take the house down.
C. Costa showed photos of homes in Old Saybrook that have been elevated, used freeboard, pilings, breakaway lattice, etc., to illustrate the changes homeowners have made as a result of the new FEMA regulations.
J. Brophy asked about septic systems. R. Marshall said the WPCA is starting to think about neighborhood or community systems as solutions. Septic systems are not covered by flood insurance.
C. Costa suggested improvement for the flood program could be made in the following ways:
1. Increase funding and staff for grant programs for structure elevation.
- Increase funding and staff for land acquisition for property owners willing to sell.
- Implement a CRS (Community Rating System) to do better record keeping and possibly reduce insurance rates.
- Increase staff and funding for post storm resources to assist the public.
V. STUDY & REPORT
- Economy – Residential Development
- Inventory – Where Are We?
- Analysis – Where Are We Going?
- Plan – How Do We Get There?
VI. OUTREACH & EDUCATION
- Building a Level of Familiarity in Old Saybrook
- Measuring Community Values in Old Saybrook
VII. MEETING SUMMARY
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission Sea Level Rise Climate Adaptation Committee on Thursday, August 14, 2014 at 3:30 p.m., Town Hall, 302 Main Street, 1st Floor Conference Room.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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