Council Discusses Flood Mitigation

STONE HARBOR – “This is an item we have to get serious about sooner rather than later.” With that Council member Raymond Parzych opened a discussion on flood mitigation at Stone Harbor Borough Council’s work session May 16. 
“We still have a great deal of work to do and these discussions are very preliminary,” Parzych added. Mayor Judith Davies-Dunhour also stressed that the day’s discussion was just a way to let the public know these issues are “on our radar.”
The council’s discussion made clear that officials view the regular flooding as a borough problem. “This is a community problem and not just a problem of a few homeowners,” Parzych said.
With the help of Borough Engineer Marc DeBlasio, the discussion was quickly organized around two large classes of issues. First, the problem of storm drains becoming overloaded and allowing water to “bubble up” and flood the streets. The second was the issue of bulkhead regulations, with the present diversity of bulkhead elevations providing plenty of low levels where tidal flooding washes over a small bulkhead and floods properties through a wide area.
A $2.7 million grant which the borough received last year will be used for what is being called Phase I of a plan to rebuild the pump station at 95th and Third Streets along with repairs and replacements to drain pipes. DeBlasio noted that the longer range plan is to tackle the drain pipe problem throughout the borough in a similar fashion.
The issue of the bulkheads took up the largest share of the discussion. It is a complex issue subject to a varied set of approaches. In the end, it probably will also mean additional expense for property owners.
“We can’t wait for grants to materialize,” Parzych said. “If we have to borrow we will have to borrow.” He was speaking of expenses that will fall back on the borough. However, the discussion also made clear that much of the bulkhead issue will probably fall back on property owners.
One concern is that a number of property owners have bulkheads significantly below the elevation levels of the current code. These bulkheads were built when the code allowed for lower levels and they have been grandfathered over time unless a property changed hands and a demolition or major restoration occurred.
Issues of bulkhead elevation, which DeBlasio said will probably have to be even higher than current code, and waterproofing of the bulkheads all lead to a revamping of the borough’s current ordinance, a task council wants to get right.
DeBlasio said there were roughly 25 properties today that are below the elevation in the current code. “It is like an open floodgate through which bay waters can flood the borough,” Parzych said. “A few properties can flood an entire neighborhood,” he added.
The policy avenues are varied. What level of grandfathering should be allowed, if any? What elevation should the revised code put in place? Are there ways the borough can help spread the impact for homeowners who cannot afford the expense? Are there ways to use these efforts to improve the Community Rating System (CRS) rating and lower the flood insurance premiums? Is there an impact on home values if a bulkhead loses its grandfathered status? What does the latest FEMA data show?
These questions and more peppered the discussion as council members struggled to grapple with the problem in both an effective and equitable manner.
Again the stress was on the fact this is a beginning and not an end of the efforts to explore the issue. DeBlasio and his team will be working up options for council deliberations with the expectation that council can return to the issue with more data next month.
“The seas are rising,” Parzych said. “We don’t have to argue about why they are rising to recognize that they are.”
Borough officials committed themselves to work to resolve an issue that left unattended threatens the quality of life in the borough. What are the solutions and options? What do they cost? How effective are they likely to be? Who pays what?
The discussion has begun. Residents are encouraged to join it and attend the open work sessions. Advanced agendas of discussion topics are available on the borough’s website.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.