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9.A. - Page 1 <br /> REPORT <br /> To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br /> From the City Manager <br /> January 12, 2015 <br /> SUBJECT <br /> Ordinance Amendment — Chapter 41 Floodplain Management <br /> RECOMMENDATION <br /> Waive First Reading and Introduce an Ordinance Amending Chapter 41 of the Municipal <br /> Code, Floodplain Management and Receive Update to FEMA's California Coastal <br /> Analysis and Mapping Program. <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) produces Flood Insurance <br /> Rate Maps (FIRMs) and manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), of <br /> which the City of Redwood City is a participant. Without this participation, the City's <br /> residents would have to obtain costly flood insurance for their homes. <br /> As part of the NFIP, FEMA conducts periodic Community Assistance Visit (CAV) with <br /> member communities to assess the effectiveness of local floodplain management <br /> ordinances and enforcement practices, and any need for technical assistance and <br /> coordination. The City had previous CAV meetings in 2004 and 2009. Based on these <br /> visits, and updated requirements, staff is recommending the attached ordinance be <br /> adopted. <br /> Although completely unrelated to the attached ordinance, the following report also <br /> provides an update to FEMA's "San Francisco Bay Area Coastal Study" which is part of <br /> the "California Coastal Analysis and Mapping Program ". This study and mapping <br /> program will ultimately result in revisions to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM). The <br /> FEMA flood map update process is an iterative process, and will be the subject of <br /> extensive, City -led community outreach in 2015. The review process is only in the <br /> beginning stages, and the new maps are not projected to go into effect until fall 2016 at <br /> the earliest. Staff will also seek direction from Council related to the flood map update <br /> process at future Council meetings. <br /> ANALYSIS <br /> Ordinance Amendment <br /> On August 6, 2014 FEMA representative met with the City Engineer (the designated <br /> floodplain administrator) and staff to review the program and the City's Ordinance. A <br /> required action resulting from the CAV is to amend the City's Floodplain Management <br />