After complaints by residents and township officials alike, Toms River and Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives will meet to discuss the disputed flood elevation maps.
Mayor Thomas Kelaher made the announcement that, with the help of Gov. Chris Christie's office, the federal agency agreed to a Wednesday morning meeting. Township officials have wanted to meet with FEMA about what they said are flaws in the maps since being released in mid-December.
"The maps really created more questions than they did answers," Kelaher said during the Township Council meeting Tuesday night.
Township offices have been "deluged" with calls and emails from residents seeking answers following the release of the maps following the destruction of Hurricane Sandy. Others have come before the council to appeal for help.
"Hopefully we can get some kind of direction," the mayor said. "It is frustrating. People ask me, 'what can we do?' and we really don't have an appropriate answer for them."
Following the current map guidelines could wind up costing homeowners money if they rebuild and revisions are made to the finalized maps released in August. Toms River Township Engineer Robert Chankalian said in a December letter to FEMA that the maps "appear to be overly conservative."
Chankalian said that Sandy was an "anomaly" and the base flood elevations, which are the standards used to build or significantly renovate homes, should be set lower than the October storm's high-water mark. These maps have a bearing on flood insurance rates.
However, the advisory base flood elevations (ABFE) are three feet higher than Sandy's high water mark in some areas, Chankalian said in the letter, which was posted on Toms River Township's Website.
The proposed map expands "V" zones where homes are more likely to be damaged by waves, while some portions of Ortley Beach that were damaged by waves during Sandy were placed in the lower risk "A" zone region, Chankalian said.
"It is hard to explain why inland lagoon areas are in high elevation and wave 'V' zones, and the barrier island is set at a lesser 'AE' standard. Further, people are already questioning, if my house made it through Sandy, why is the new ABFE more stringent?" Chankalian said in the letter. "I think it goes without saying that we need to be as accurate as possible since the financial impact to the residents in terms of flood insurance costs, resale value and reconstruction/construction costs are significant."
Kelaher and Business Administrator Paul Shives met with officials from the governor's office on Tuesday to ask for help. That meeting came about after the mayor appealed to Christie's office.
"Out of some level of frustration, I wrote a letter to Gov. Christie explaining what was going on," Kelaher said. "I asked if they could do something to help us out. It has absolutely created turmoil here."
Shives said that any information that comes out of the meeting will be shared with the public through the township website.
"We're really at a standstill. Let's hope we have some good luck [Wednesday]," Kelaher said.
To base the flood levels for the storm on a faulty daune system is an injustice to all Ortley Beach property owners. We are being forced to pay higher flood insurance rates base on a poorly designed daune system. It is time for TR's officials to stand up and take the blame for the dunes they created. It is also time to come up with a proven daune protection plan, that will prove to FEMA that thier flood levels are base on false data. To prove my point just compare shore areas were the dunes did thier job. Then compare the high water marks and level of devastation.
No, but your taxes will pay for their distressed properties with the loss of valuation, and decrease to the tax base. The sooner these issues are resolved, the sooner these homes are rebuilt, the sooner the ratable base is restored. Work to solve the problems and then argue about it later. And Fema?...you actually expect government to support you? Too much government supporting itself and its own with your money
LOSS. It has more meaning than just you are taking big financial losses.
"It is hard to explain why inland lagoon areas are in high elevation and wave 'V' zones, and the barrier island is set at a lesser 'AE' standard. Further, people are already questioning, if my house made it through Sandy, why is the new ABFE more stringent?" I don't understand why one storm makes FEMA redo everything. I cynically suspect they will use this as an opportunity to raise more money. I certainly haven't seen any help from them..... Personally speaking, if new flood insurance rates are anywhere near the rumors I've heard most people would be better off paying it to ourselves and self insuring.
With regard to the dunes - the beachfront property owners will consider signing the proposed easement if the mainland residents agree that TR can build a new highway through your property without telling where on your property it will go, or how wide it will be.
Have a meeting and explain to the beach front property owners and the beach associations that represent them, the terms of the plan. The plan should also include the rules and codes of conduct on the new public access beaches. And who is responsible to enforce these rules. Once the total plan is explained to them. They should have the choices presented to them. Sign the easement, pay, the Army Corps of Engineers to build and maintain the dune system and keep your privacy. Or do what you are doing now, nothing. If the choice is to do nothing then the land needed for the dune system should be taken by the rules of Eminate Domain. No one person or association should impeed the public safety.
So, not sure where you lived on barrier island, but if you did/do, you are aware of the lack of attention the barrier island has been receiving for years to the infrastructure, etc. YET...as you agreed, we pay for these in our taxes. This is why people are complaining. I don't mind paying for services if I am actually getting them. The problem is we don't or didn't until now. Surely you understand this frustration. I would rather donate money to a charity than to a government that ignores me until a crisis occurs. This is why people are upset and with good cause.
I trusted them and their "expertise" prior to making an offer on my home....I say we all sue. ...
[Stop FEMA now | Facebook www.facebook.com/StopFemaNow facebook/StopFemaNow. Flood-elevation maps will destroy the Shore. www.app.com. Gov. Christie's adoption of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's ...]