Stevens Point waits for FEMA to revise flood zone

STEVENS POINT – City leaders hope that more than 200 families soon will be spared thousands of dollars in annual flood insurance they might not need.

Stevens Point officials have been working for 15 years to revise a map that places those families' properties in the Wisconsin River's 100-year flood zone, a situation that has required them to buy the extra insurance because of federal regulations.

"It's a severe financial issue for these residents," said Mayor Andrew Halverson. "Flood insurance has gone up astronomically — (by) three times, in fact, in some cases."

The city added a curb to the top of a wall along the river that already was strong enough to withstand the necessary amount of water, but now also protects against wind and wave damage. The added curb allows the city, with federal approval, to redraw its flood maps and remove the families from the flood zone.

Efforts to address the problem began in the late 1990s, when City Council member Neal Nealis began to research whether the city could do anything that would allow it to redraw the flood maps. Although he determined that it could be done, Nealis said the research and progress on the matter stopped around 2006, when he left office.

Halverson said he revived efforts to revise the flood maps in 2007. Since then, the city has designed and installed the addition to the seawall.

Before the city can officially redraw its maps, the seawall upgrade has to earn approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The city received approval from FERC but still is awaiting a ruling from FEMA, which Halverson said could happen any day.

"This is bureaucracy at its best or worst, depending on how you look at it," the mayor said.

FEMA representatives did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

Public Works Director Scott Schatschneider said as soon as the city receives FEMA approval, it will move forward to the next step in the remapping process, which is a 90-day public notification period, during which residents can request that the city reconsider its decision. Schatschneider said it's unlikely that anyone would make such a request on this issue.

After the public notification period, the new map will be submitted to the City Plan Commission for review.

The wall will be paid for by a special assessment to the affected homeowners. The city spent about $321,000 on the project, which averages about $1,220 per homeowner, Schatschneider said. The homes are located south of Clark Street.

Nealis, who is a realtor, said the required flood insurance has been a reason that some families have been unable to buy homes in the area, with some houses requiring more than $2,000 worth of flood insurance coverage.

Sales in the area have been improving, though, now that the process is coming to an end.

"Buyers are more comfortable with purchasing out of anticipation, even though that might be a little risky," he said.

Sari Lesk can be reached at 715-345-2257. Follow her on Twitter as @Sari_Lesk.