Flood Insurance and Sea Level 1929 basis?

I had a disturbing, at least to me, conversation with a surveyor a few days ago. Flood elevations, apparently are mostly based on 1929 readings and benchmarks. In 1988, a new more accurate model became available. Several years ago, at least one governmental agency stopped using this older data.

Why am I disturbed? This new data is apparently as much as 1.08 feet off in our area. In other words, unless I misunderstood the surveyor, sea levels were on average 1.08 feet higher than the 1929 data indicated. This, to my alarmist mind, meant homes might be 1 foot lower and flood certificates might be in error or even might mean that insurance based on a certain elevation might be based on a flawed model.

See the link below to read more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Level_Datum_of_1929

This site has a conversion calculator for your coordinates.

http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/VERTCON/vert_con.prl

I am not sure if this impacts insurance and existing homes or not, but it is interesting to me.

...follow up 4/29/08

Well, I have been busy looking for a definite answer to this. According to Fred Lindes at the Fernandina Beach Building and Zoning office, COFB goes by the 1988 data. I still have the same concerns about 1929 data and here's why. What if you have a home built in an AE11 flood zone at an elevation you thought was correct based on a certification from 1929 data? What should you do? His suggestion and mine is to get a new updated flood certification based on the corrected data to be sure you are paying an insurance premium for the correct elevation if your certification is based on 1929 data.

I will follow up again with information from the National Flood Insurance program. I left a message and have e-mailed them to see what they suggest for our area.

Why freshwater solution is short sighted?

It doesn't make sense to try to maintain a portion of a salt basin with a history as a salt basin as old as the island itself as a freshwater basin. The solution, although at first glance seems fair, is creating an area requiring maintenance over time which eventually will flood during a storm event. This is a waste of taxpayer money now and over time (forever in fact), creates a closed system and is interfering with the natural environmental state of that part of the marsh. The freshwater marsh area being brought back to a freshwater state was only fresh for the past 50 or so years. It is really part of the area impacted by the Atlantic Avenue floodgates.

On top of it all...environmentally, a salt marsh is a more productive marsh than a fresh marsh and it is alway better to allow a natural state...as opposed to interfering over time.

Latest on Greenway Public Dump Site

I just had a nice conversation with Dinah Frazier this afternoon. Ms. Frazier is the DEP investigator who will be walking and locating the dump location that borders Egan's Creek to the east and roughly Hickory Street and Jasmine to the north and south. I asked about soil testing and was pleased in some ways but concerned in others. DEP is able to document dump sites with past evidence, photos or some information to go on that proves a site existed. The problem with very old sites like this is that most contaminants don't really have a visual que or even if they do are often located on private property. If these dumps are not in the path of development or do not pose an immediate safety threat, they likely will not be cleaned up.

What did I accomplish? Well, several state agencies do have notice of the dump and it will be documented as a dump site. Do I know what might be in the dump? No! I hoped to see thorough testing and had the idea that DEP was actively looking for sites like this to test and clean up. I guess I was a little naive' about the way things work. The facts really are bleak. There are, for instance over 150 dump sites in Jacksonville with only about 10% likely to be cleaned. DEP doesn't have unlimited power and often has to prioritize which dumps or sites will pose the greatest threat. I saw a dump bordering a pristine estuary as a threat to the wildlife and to the Greenway we all wanted to see on our island. Locating and pushing for testing was what I thought would lead to identification of any hazardous material and to eventually a cleaner greenway.

What does this all mean? Any use of the dump will now be subject to testing required of all old dump sites. Any neighbors who want to use well water might be more aware of the possibility of contaminants from an old dump. I don't think there are many wells in the nearby area used for drinking water. What does this mean for the greenway? I'm not sure unless someone steps in to test and more fully identify what might be in the dump.

I am still concerned because of the dates the dump was used. (approx. 1943 to 1970) I don't really think much will happen, but at least the site will be documented as a dump and who knows....maybe someday a contaminant free greenway will be a higher priority...and someone will realize our health depends on the health of our environment. In a perfect world, I would like to think everyone would be held accountable for things like this...but we live in a world of limited resources and priorities.

By the way, I want to thank Ms. Frazier for her time today and for her effort to accurately identify the dump location. I know documenting the existence of this might seem like a small thing, but in reality, this might flag the dump as a source of contamination one day if there is a problem. At the very least, it will force anyone disturbing the site or financing the site to have proper testing.

cc: Dinah Frazier-DEP

Shrimp Festival...same but Different!

The pirates invade....we all have a great time. What is different now? I've lived here all my life. I remember a smaller festival without quite as much traffic, trash and I remember Shrimp Boats and the shrimping industy, which was the heart of the festival.

The shrimping industry needs our attention. The shrimp festival is all well and good. I do think instead of growing a festival that stretches the limit of the downtown area, we need to think of refocusing part of it to try to make shrimping more a part of what originally was all about, at least in my view as a child, the heart of the town and boat captains who were proud of their way of life.

What changes would I like to see and do I think make the most sense for this festival and coming festivals?

1) A curfew for all and control underage children who are left to wander downtown until sometimes 10 or 12PM. No children under the age of 16 unaccompanied after 6PM and no children under 13 at all if not accompanied by a parent or guardian. Leaving your kids out to roam a festival like this is not reasonable behavior at that age.
2) A limit on the maximum size of the festival. We don't need and aren't able to handle bigger, but we sure can improve year after year.
3) A refocus back on art and food, not on rides and entertainment. This isn't a carnival, it is or should be a celebration of the shrimping industry and local crafts and food.
4) A limitation or careful discussion of corporate sponser and how to keep sponsorships from deviating from the theme of the festival.
5) More and better ways of controlling litter during and after the festival.
6) Dealing with public intoxication...this was an issue in my view last year.
7) Protecting the business and property owners from vandalism like the vandalism I experienced last year.
6) Did I say "curfew"! We had teens wandering downtown unsupervised until after midnight last year. My building was vandalized and I asked one group of 10 to 12 teens to leave my deck and the roof of the adjoining building 3 times. The were climbing on top of the adjoining buildings urinating into the courtyard of one business and sitting on another. My downspout gutters were bent from the climbing activity and a number of deck supports were kicked out. I didn't press charges because the police were stretched thin and it took an hour or more to find someone mid afternoon on Sunday.

We need to be aware that the festival is in a planned commercial area that was not built to accomodate this kind of traffic. Our town was not designed for the traffic and we typically don't have a police force large enough or enough ambulances if there is ever an emergency. I recommend a serious look at the size of the festival, content of the festival which should more closesly adhere to the original version and a curfew for all non-residents and non vendors...at say 10PM?

...ahhh...how we all see things differently...

Someone likes to leave cat food out at various feeding stations every morning. The problem is that this is illegal and is feeding the rats in the downtown area as well as the cats.

I know everyone has good intentions and I love animals as well as the next person. I don't agree with feeding a non-native species. I also think we all need to respect laws about pouring food on the street or leaving food out on public property or on the sidewalk.

Thank you for your love of animals..just think about it before you leave out a container of food..then drive away without a thought in the world.

Hawk and a Blue Jay...

This was on Atlantic Avenue yesterday. A hawk found his meal flying by and is just before having his breakfast....but the bluejay really doesn't much want to be there.

RE: Geenway Amelia Island

Thank you for the reply.  I am still making an effort to get the dump tested and actually have someone look at it for contaminants.  My concern is that we don’t know what is in the dump and that it just makes sense to identify any contamination in the dump and deal with it in a reasonable fashion. 

 

I understand the dump appears from old aerial maps to fall outside the greenway, but it still may impact groundwater or be an undesirable effect because it is in the same basin.  All the area will go underwater in even a category 1 hurricane.  I’d like to know what contaminants are in an old city dump.  Nothing will please me more than having DEP out to look at the site and find that nothing of concern is there and that all soil and groundwater there is normal.  I just think no documentation on an old dump is terrible!

 

I will forward the information to you if I find out anything new from DEP and will copy this note to them as well.

 

Ed Boner

 

 

 

From: David Miracle [mailto:dmiracle@sjrwmd.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 8:43 AM
To: Edward Boner
Subject: RE: Geenway Amelia Island

 

Thank you for your comments.  On April 8th the District's Governing Board granted the permit for FDOT to construct a tide barrier at Jasmine Blvd.

 

Last fall FDOT investigated the Egans Creek basin for old dumps or other sources of contamination.  None where found upstream of Jasmine Blvd, where water levels will be affected by the tide barrier.  An old dump was identified at the end of Hickory Street, which is downstream of the barrier.  Since the barrier will not impact water levels downstream of Jasmine, we determined the proposed project would not have an adverse impact on the old dump.  This issue was presented to the Governing Board as part of the package of information they reviewed prior to voting on the project.

 

Dave

 

 

Presidents and Thoughts....

Ok..ok...I'm just a regular guy making observations, so please keep that in mind.

What do I think of Hillary Clinton? I think she's a driven smart woman who would be a good President. Do I like her. Not particularly. Is this important. NO! I do think Bill Clinton is capable and smart and I pretty much know what either might do if Hillary is elected. Where is she politically? She's a moderate democrat that I don't fully agree with but won't offend me that much if elected.

What do I think of John McCain? I like him and think he's honest. I think his life speaks for itself and I think he is most capable of the three of being a good president.

What do I think of Barack Obama? I don't know who he really is. He is an eloquent speaker. My concerns are his lack of content and his lack of real experience. I also have concerns that his beliefs are likely close to those held by his pastor.

What is really important in this election? We're picking our leader. Please..please ignore the news...ignore the speeches written for each candidate...ignore what George Bush did in the last 7 years. (He isn't a candidate) Just look at the resume's.

Facts:

1) All three major candidates want to end the war.
2) All three are concerned and want to fix the economy.
3) All three have resume's and life histories on http://www.wikipedia.org/ .

How do you vote? Read the job description. Read the candidates resume's. Pick the most capable candidate. Don't pick someone based on one speech, one debate or on your dislike of the current president. We need someone who will be capable and who will have the best chance of doing a great job. Contrary to opinion, CNN or FOX News doesn't have to tell you who to vote for in this election. Just read the resume' and make an honest decision as though you were hiring someone to do the job.

Personally, I want someone who will do a good job and who has the most closely related experience. There is little difference in the three candidates views..if you really look. All three are dependant on Congress or can't really do much if Congress doesn't let them. There is a huge difference if you read their resume's.

Speeding Kids....maybe I've forgotten...

..or maybe I haven't forgotten Mason Hendrix or other friends who died just doing what kids do. This car is typically speeding around town. It was on Hickory Street a few weeks ago going 60 to 70 beside the baseball field near Citrona Drive. Maybe mom and dad will see this picture and have a talk before someone is hurt.

I'm getting old! I don't see this as funny and all I think of is some kid driving his graduation present into oncoming traffic.

If anyone wants to ticket this kid...he speeds down Hickory about 2:45 to 3:00 pm almost every day maybe a little later...I'd guess he or she gets out of school just about then. Free big dollar ticket and a life saved for an FBPD officer.