Floodplain Mapping

Project Updates



Posted Date
 Description 
 August 12, 2016 At a recent DuPage County Municipal Engineers meeting County staff provided an update. FEMA is reviewing revised maps. FEMA will decide whether the approval process will re-start from the beginning or continue from where it left off. The new maps would not be finalized until 2017 at the earliest.
 April 29, 2016 County staff displayed proposed new floodplain maps which would decrease the number of properties to be mapped into the floodplain. Village staff will attempt to obtain copies of the draft new maps.
 April 15, 2016 Staff met with two residents in the Sugar Creek watershed this week. We developed a list of questions to present to DuPage County staff at a meeting later this week.
 April 1, 2016 Staff will request an update from DuPage County and schedule a follow-up meeting with two residents in the Sugar Creek watershed.
 March 4, 2016 County staff has reported that they are taking another look at the proposed floodway for Sugar Creek.
 February 26, 2016
  • The Village received the following e-mail from the State Water Survey:

This message is an update from the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) on behalf of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding the DuPage County, Illinois Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) project.

Comments received on the June 3, 2015 Preliminary products (FIRM, Flood Insurance Study, FIRM Database) have been inventoried. Each community for which comments were submitted should have received a Comment Acknowledgement letter from FEMA.  This letter lists and/or summarizes all comments received from communities, contractors, citizens and other agencies.  FEMA, ISWS and DuPage County Stormwater Management are working toward comment resolutions.

It has been determined that DuPage County Revised Preliminary products will be necessary.  This will result in an additional products release and community review.  A timeline has not been determined.

The 90-day appeal period discussed at the open house on July 29, 2015 has been postponed.  It will be initiated after a Revised Preliminary comment period has been completed.

No action is required on your part at this time.  If you have questions concerning the administrative processes associated with this project, please contact Bill Heyse of FEMA Region V either by telephone at (312) 408-5323 or by e-mail at William.Heyse@fema.dhs.gov.


Shelly Fuller, CFM

Illinois State Water Survey | Prairie Research Institute

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

(217) 300-0221 | mlfuller@illinois.edu

 

  • Staff has tabulated the results of the 40 flood certificates that have been requested by Village residents.  Some residents have inquired about Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) which would remove them from the current 100 year floodplain and potentially eliminate the need to purchase flood insurance.
  • A FEMA representative made a presentation to a group of residents on December 14, 2015.  He discussed the floodplain mapping process as well as flood insurance regulations.  Some of the residents indicated that they disagreed with the proposed floodplain maps.  Others were concerned about the cost of flood insurance. 
  • Residents are requesting that the Village hold a meeting to address questions and concerns regarding flood insurance and how the financial institutions will decide whether it is required.  Staff is attempting to find an appropriate subject matter expert that can provide relevant information.
  • Staff received an e-mail from IDNR indicating that they have received hundreds of comments on the draft preliminary maps.  Apparently there are enough valid comments that the maps are going to be revised.  We were not given any specifics about which map panel would be revised.
  • Staff sent out over 330 letters regarding the cost sharing program for elevation certificates.  We have received over a dozen payments already and have answered numerous inquiries.  Additional information regarding elevation certificates has been posted on the Village’s web site at http://www.invillapark.com/196/Public-Works-Department (scroll down to FEMA flood maps).
  • Staff and Willowbrook High School submitted comments to the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).  We met with two consultants and expect to obtain proposals for obtaining elevation certificates for those properties impacted by the flood map changes.  Staff will need direction whether the Village is merely brokering a better rate for the certificates or will actually share in the costs.
  • The Village hosted an open house for Village residents on 8/10/15.  An overview of the timetable for adoptions of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) by FEMA was provided based on information previously provided to Village staff.  Hard copies of the proposed FIRMs were available for viewing as well as a computer terminal with a ling to the County’s interactive maps of the proposed FIRM.  Village staff was also on hand to answer questions and assist with drafting of comments to be submitted to the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).  Comments are due August 28, 2015.  The 90 day appeal period will commence later this year.  Any appeal must be based on better technical data and would like require extensive computer modelling, but simple appeals based on more current topographical data may be more feasible.
  • Village staff and Willowbrook High School will both be submitting comments in response to a proposed mapping of the new school addition into the regulated floodway.  An appeal is also likely.
  • The Du Page Mayors and Managers Conference (DMMC) has also submitted comments that are considered to be applicable to all communities.
  • The Director attended the FIRM open house on July 29, 2015.  This initiated the 30 day comments period.  After a general presentation on the mapping process, insurance ramifications, and the timetable we discussed the proposed remapping of Willowbrook High School.
  • Some properties are proposed to be mapped out of the regulatory floodplain.  This would allow possible reductions or elimination of the need to obtain flood insurance.  Letters were sent to those property owners and they were encouraged to attend the FEMA open house on July 29, 2015 to get further information.
  • Second notification letters with location of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) open house (July 29, 105, Du Page County Auditorium) were mailed out last week.
  • Staff met with V3 consultants to discuss the map review and appeal process.
  • Notification letters have been mailed out to residents who are apparently being mapped into the 100 year floodplain for the first time or who’s previous Letter of Map Change (LOMC) will be voided by the proposed new Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).
  • FEMA issued preliminary new floodplain maps on June 3, 2015.  FEMA’s site for Preliminary Data:  http://www.fema.gov/view-your-communitys-preliminary-flood-hazard-data-0.  Click on the preliminary flood data search tool, “preliminary flood data search tool”, then complete the drop down menu choices. (Illinois, DuPage County, Get Preliminary FEMA Map Products”).  The ISWS hosted site will have jpegs of the panels at:  www.illinoisfloodmaps.org