HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10271987 - 1.36 Cn
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TO �' BOARD OF SUPERVISORS n,�,.,♦
FROM: Harvey E. Bragdon, C Ilra
Director of Community Development Cost.,
DATE: October 15, 1987 W��U
SUBJECT: Request of Endorsement of Comments- by Mobilehome Advisory
Committee Regarding Elevation Standards for Mobilehomes
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the Chair to sign a letter forwarding the Contra Costa
County Mobilehome Advisory Committee' s letter regarding the
National Flood Insurance Program regulations pertaining to eleva-
tion standards for manufactured homes to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
BACKGROUND
The Mobilehome Advisory Committee has requested that the Board of
Supervisors endorse and forward their letter dated September 21,
1987, to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General Counsel, Fed-
eral Emergency -Management Agency in Washington, D.C. The letter
contains the committee' s concerns and recommendations regarding
the elevation standards for replacement mobilehomes in existing
mobilehome parks. The committee recommends continued "grand-
fathering" of existing mobilehome parks and subdivisions, or that
replacement mobilehomes in existing parks be exempt from flood
elevation requirements.
The federal regulations which required the elevation of mobile-
homes placed in existing parks have been temporarily suspended
until October of 1988. The suspension period was established to
provide for a formal comment period and re-evaluation or analysis
of the mobilehome flood protection standards. The comment period
on the mobilehome regulations closes October 31, 1987.
In accordance with the suspension of the federal regulations re-
garding the elevation of manufactured homes, and in response to
concerns raised by local mobilehome representatives, the County
revised the mobilehome standards in the Interim Floodplain Manage-
ment Ordinance on August 4, 1987. The Mobilehome Advisory
Committee would like to see that the temporary revisions in the
federal regulations which allowed this relaxation in County mobile-
home standards become permanent. The committee is accordingly
submitting written comments to FEMA in support of permanent
revisions to the National Flood Insurance Program regulations
which allow continued grandfathering of exVend
obilehome
spaces in the 100-year floodplain, and re uesement by
the County Board of Supervisors.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X- YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR —_ RECOMM A ION O BOAR COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE S : L
ACTION OF BOARD ON __October_ 27 : 19877 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x_ OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT i --- ) AND CORRECT COPY 'OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES.- AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
cc: County Administrator. ATTESTED October 27, 1987
Community -Development — ----- -- - -
Mobile Home Advisory Committee PHIL BATCHELOR. CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
M382%7-83 BY AIP.0 ,DEPUTY
- 2 -
An endorsement by the Board of Supervisors regarding the
mobilehome flood protection standards entails a basic policy
decision regarding floodplain management. Does the County wish
to perpetuate existing land uses in flood hazard areas (areas
subject to the 100-year flood) without flood protection measures?
The grandfathering provisions for manufactured homes were
eliminated by FEMA in large part in an attempt to break the
historic cycle of repetitive flood losses and insurance claims
which occurred when non-elevated mobilehomes were allowed - to
locate and relocate in floodplains, and also to reduce potential
flood damage to existing mobilehome parks that had not yet been
flooded but were likely to be flooded in the future.
However, as pointed out by the Mobilehome Advisory Committee, the
elimination of the grandfathering provisions for existing
mobilehome parks would have definite economic and visual impacts.
The economic impacts include the direct cost of elevating
coaches, as well as potential impacts related to increased rents
(and/or reductions in park service) which would result from
increased park vacancies. The committee notes that elevated
coaches pose accessibility problems for senior citizens and the
handicapped. Requiring elevation of replacement mobilehomes in
existing parks would also result in significant height
differentials between elevated and non-elevated homes.
Given the above considerations, staff recommends that the Board
forward the Mobilehome Advisory Committee' s letter to the Rules
Docket Clerk and request strong consideration of their concerns.
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