How easy it would’ve been, if last summer, Ravalli County announced new Floodplain maps coming to be adapted, and adopted by 1/16/15. Announced openly considering improving and updating old Floodplain Regulations by using new FEMA mapping to grant standing to people seeking Building Permits in the floodplain FEMA identifies as Flood Fringe, colored in light blue.
For instance: A Property owner in blue colored flood fringe is responsible for obtaining Septic and other Permits and Authoritative Hydrologist Report, only then proceed to County Official in qualifying for a Building Permit.
Oh so easy it would’ve been last summer and forward, to share public information with the public. After all, only fair to let property owners and public know there’s consideration of a new chain of command, new process and procedures for building in the floodplain. That’ll be a big surprise! A radical change! Might move some property up in value. Some lower in value. Maybe new neighbors where you never thought there would be neighbors! Luckily, real estate market not now active.
By mid-summer, share some FEMA maps with property owners and people who use and value River bottom land for recreation, fishing and hunting. Work with community, schedule Public Comment on Commissioners Schedule for September or October 2014. Like they know, takes awhile to work with the FEMA Basemap of River in 1995!
And learn to say things like: Flood Fringe Property Owners have new Right, process and procedure.
But none of that ever happened! Nil Public Notice until mid December came a surprise package with a trip wire, striking out restrictions on building in the floodplain! Three weeks of solid 5-0 Commissioner support, then vote in new property rights for owners in light blue areas of FEMA mapping.
Thirty days for understanding, involvement, discussion, about rooting in place a Permit by County Planner process!
Stifle Public Speech! Thirty days for conversation about unexpected new floodplain regs and Building Permit procedures along the Bitterroot River people use in common!
Thirty days to consider new chain of command, and FEMA Flood Plain Model Mapping. Visiting river and comparing to 1995 map of lines depicting stems of the Bitterroot River. Reading submitted evidence, for instance since 1995 the river has eroded away over 100′ of cutbank at Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge.
Why 30 days? Priorities? Reasonable thoughts? Intent? Negligence? Concealment? So much concealment can’t tell what happened?
IF the new permit system does in fact work to protect all parties, how come it wasn’t presented openly to the public long before recently?
If it does not work, all the more reason new permit system should have been presented to public long before recently.
Bob Williams
Stevensville