Flood Hazard Map Tabled
February 25, 2010, page 7
by Nancy Wood

The Selectboard, after lengthy discussions in December and January, tabled the Flood Hazard Map question at its January 11 meeting. The map would add areas associated with the LaPlatte River and Mud Hollow Brook to the national Digital-Flood-Insurance-Rate Map as an approximate Zone A.
Landowners had protested sending the map to FEMA because of potential impacts on current and future development plans. Allan Jordan, who is developing an affordable housing project on Spear Street, said that the state engineer who created the map would not make site-specific revisions based on the recommendations of Summit Engineering, the firm that is doing a detailed study of existing conditions. Jordan is concerned about the cost and difficulty of making any future changes once the map has gone to FEMA. Dave Perrin commented that the delineation on the proposed map of a 10-foot-flood plain below Carpenter Road was “totally unreasonable.”
Marty Illick urged the board to accept the map, saying “Rob’s map is an approximation using normal protocol.” She said it would not be more difficult to make site-specific changes after being submitted to FEMA and stated that the Town Plan called for Charlotte to submit the plan. She said it was “in the public good to keep development out of the corridor.”
Selectboard member Winslow Ladue asked what risk the town would have if not adopted, and the limited information at the meeting seemed to indicate there was no risk of losing access to FEMA assistance in the event of a flood.
Selectboard Assistant Dean Bloch said that the deadline for public comment about submitting the map is January 27. The consensus of the board appeared to be opposed, so it was tabled without a vote. Board Chair Charles Russell said they would not be giving it to FEMA but would have it available for town planning.