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M. <br />January 7,2009 <br />Mi. Craig Benedict, Director <br />Orange County Plannhig Department' <br />P.O. Box 818.1 . <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />Re: Amendments to COURtY Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance <br />Dear Craig. <br />This letter is to reiterate our recommendation to the planning Department that the County's Flood <br />'Damage Prevention Ordinance CFDPU) should be amended in the same manner as the County's Zoning <br />Ordinance and Z on,n Atlas are amended as set forth in Article 20 of the zoning ordinance. This letter is <br />- v <br />by my,receipt on January 5, 208, of a draft copy of a public* hearing notice for a hearing to be <br />hold at <br />prompted Central Orange senior Center, 515.Meadowland Drive, Hillsborough, North Carolina on <br />rested citizens an opportunity to speak for interested January 22, 2009 at 7:30 PM for the PUIPOS6 of giving all from various correspondences with Glen <br />or against various amendments to the FDPO. I understand required by the Federal <br />Bowles, -the C0UIIVs Flood Plain Manager, that•the Proposed amendments are <br />Emergency Management Agency CFogAr) in order for County residents to remain eligible for the <br />Program. The proposed ordinance amendments address a "number of problems" <br />Federal Flood Insurance in <br />with the current FDPO as identified by Kenneth W. Ashe, Assistant Director of the North Carolina <br />Department of Crime Control and Public Safety Division of Emergency Management m a letter to then <br />Board of Commissioners Chair, Barry Jacobs, •on November 7, 2008. A copy of Mr. Ashe's letter is <br />attached. <br />I -understand from. conversations with you and with Glen Bowles, that the County has been <br />notified by the State FEMA office that it is in danger of being removed from the Federal Flood Insurance <br />Program if it does not amend the FDPO by the end of January 2009 to address the issues with the FDPO <br />raised by NIT. Ashe. I also understand that the County has not received formal written notification of the <br />pending suspension. The Planning Department is apparently moving forward -with noticing a public <br />hearing that is to be held on January 22 which is the same night the Board of County Commissioners will <br />be asked to vote on the amendments. it is our view that moving forward with amendments. to the FDPO <br />without following-the requirements of the County Zoning Ordinance . is not a good idea. <br />I wrote to Glen Bowles, copying you and Lam Blickmon, on December 12, 2006 and on <br />January'5, 2G07 outlining the reasons -why the FDPO should be incorporated into the County's Zoning <br />Ordinance and why amendments to the FDPO should be handled in the same manner as amendments to <br />the County's Zoning Ordinance and Zonirig Atlas are adopted- The.most recent amendments to the <br />FDPO were adopt6d on January 23, 2007. The agWda item.abstract for the January 23, 2007.mee�ting, a <br />,copy of which is attached, rec#iested authorization for staff to, "initiate the Zoning Ordinance amendment <br />