City May Buy Flood Prone House

Fairhope, Alabama

USING FEMA MONEY

The city is looking into the possibility of purchasing a house at 705 Cedar St. that has a history of flooding during heavy rains.

According to court records the owners, Everete and Jackie Barnette, sued the city in 2006 alleging the storm drains were of inadequate design and poorly maintained; but that suit was ultimately settled confidentially and dismissed "with prejudice."

Mayor Kant said he thought it would be in the interest of the Federal Government, who underwrites flood insurance for the property, to provide the funds to purchase the property instead of having to continually write checks when it floods.

Funding would be provided by FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Program (click).

Kant said the cost of installing bigger storm drain pipes would exceed the cost of  acquiring the property, demolishing the house and just maintaining a grassy swale there.

Kant: " ... they were flooded for the eighth time ... been trying to resolve it for a long time ... ."

Councilman Ford said the builder of that subdivision constructed the house for himself  in the swale back in the 1970s and a part of the Volanta basin drains through it.

The city council will have to approve the purchase.



Comments

Robert said…
It only needs to be raised up a couple of feet. Not a big problem.
Anonymous said…
The water . flows through two other properties before it reaches. Cedar. Please spend some money to fix the problem.