On January 31, 2011, the City of Foster City received a revised preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This revised DFIRM is subject to a 90-day comment period after which FEMA will consider any comments prior to making a final determination.

The revised map classifies most of Foster City as Zone A99 (special flood hazard area with flood protection system under construction; no base elevations determined; mandatory flood insurance is applicable). With a Zone A99 designation, property owners with FDIC insured mortgages would be required to purchase flood insurance, but new buildings and buildings undergoing substantial remodeling would not have to be built to a designated base flood elevation.

The City of San Mateo awarded a construction contract for its levee improvement project in January 2011 and is expecting to have the project complete in early 2012. Upon completion, FEMA can be requested to accredit the levee and revise the DFIRM to show the impacted areas as once again being Zone X. At that time, flood insurance would no longer be required, although FEMA does recommend flood insurance for properties behind levee systems.

Given the progress made to date by the City of San Mateo on their levee improvement project and the short time period in which flood insurance would be mandatory, City officials will renew their efforts to have FEMA consider making the DFIRM effective after completion of San Mateo’s levee improvement project. Should that occur, flood insurance would not become mandatory.

Should those efforts prove unsuccessful however, Foster City’s City Council has authorized staff to notify property owners once an official notice from FEMA is received as to the effective date of the DFIRM, which is typically six months from the date of the Letter of Final Determination that will sent by FEMA.

After the Letter of Final Determination is issued, property owners purchasing flood insurance prior to the DFIRM becoming effective will benefit from lower rates associated with the City’s current flood designation of Zone X (areas protected by levees from 100-year flood; mandatory flood insurance is not applicable).

Until the DFIRM becomes effective, purchase of flood insurance is NOT required. FEMA’s current timetable is to make the DFIRM effective by December 2011. Once the DFIRM becomes effective, property owners with FDIC insured mortgages would be required to purchase flood insurance.

The City of Foster City continues to coordinate with the City of San Mateo and FEMA to monitor the progress of City of San Mateo’s levee improvements and FEMA’s status for the processing of the DFIRM.

For questions, please contact Sue Lee, Senior Civil Engineer, (650) 286-3281.