Quincy flood map forum pushed back a week

U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch and Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch have pushed back the Quincy flood-map forum a week because of the forecasted winter storm.

The two officials had planned on meeting with members of the public Thursday at Central Middle School to discuss steps they were taking to delay the June 9 implementation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's new flood maps for Quincy, which are expected to raise flood-insurance premiums for thousands of city residents.

The forum has been rescheduled to next Thursday, Feb. 20 starting at 7 p.m. in the Central Middle School auditorium.

Woodard & Curran, an engineering firm hired by the city, said FEMA's redrawn flood maps will add 1,370 Quincy properties to the National Flood Insurance Program. All homeowners in the program who have mortgages through federally-approved lenders must buy flood insurance.

Also, the new maps, coupled with a federal law called the Biggert-Waters Act, is set to raise insurance premiums for thousands of homes already in the flood plain.

A copy of FEMA's flood maps are available for public viewing at the Department of Public Works' engineering offices at 55 Sea St.

Critics of the new flood maps, including officials in Scituate and Marshfield, which delayed Plymouth County's maps by filing appeals with FEMA, say the maps are based on a faulty methodology and the sharp rate increases could drive residents from their homes. Quincy didn't appeal the maps before Norfolk County's deadline last June.

A group of federal lawmakers are pushing for significant delays of Biggert-Waters, which aims to replenish the National Flood Insurance Program within five years after it was depleted by storms such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

The state's congressional delegation on Monday requested that FEMA suspend and amend new flood maps across the state after Rockport successfully argued that the wave methodology used for the region is flawed.

Woodard & Curran, an engineering firm hired by the city, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency's redrawn flood maps, effective June 9 of this year, will add 1,370 Quincy properties to the National Flood Insurance Program. All homeowners who have mortgages must buy flood insurance.

Also, the new maps, coupled with a federal law called the Biggert-Waters Act, is set to raise insurance premiums for thousands of homes already in the flood plain.

Earlier this week, Joseph Shea, senior vice president at Woodard & Curran, said properties in the Montclair, Merrymount, North Quincy and Houghs Neck neighborhoods are among those to be added to the flood plain. The affected streets, he said, are: West Squantum Street, Wilson Avenue, Belmont Street, Safford Street, Vassall Street, Cummings Avenue, Squanto Road, Victoria Road, Assabet Road, Virginia Road, Peterson Street and Sea Street.

On Friday, Christopher Walker, a spokesman for Koch, couldn't provide more specifics about which properties face higher premium rates. FEMA didn't respond to a reporter's request for this information.

A copy of FEMA's flood maps are available for public viewing at the Department of Public Works' engineering offices at 55 Sea St.

Critics of the new flood maps, including officials in Scituate and Marshfield, which delayed Plymouth County's maps by filing appeals with FEMA, say the maps are based on a faulty methodology and the sharp rate increases could drive residents from their homes. Quincy didn't appeal the maps before Norfolk County's deadline last June.

A group of federal lawmakers are pushing for significant delays of Biggert-Waters, which aims to replenish the National Flood Insurance Program within five years after it was depleted by storms such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

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