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Council adopts repetitive-loss area analysis to boost flood resilience and FEMA Community Rating System points
Summary
Council adopted a Repetitive Loss Area Analysis (RLAA) and authorized submission of a flood insurance assessment to FEMA, moves staff said could maintain the city's CRS Class 6 rating and reduce insurance premiums for property owners.
The Alexandria City Council voted March 11 to adopt a Repetitive Loss Area Analysis and to submit a flood insurance assessment to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, moves the city said will support flood mitigation work and help maintain residents' flood-insurance discounts.
The actions matter because the study identifies site-specific and general mitigation measures in areas that have experienced multiple flood insurance claims and because participation and documented actions in FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS) can lower premiums for policyholders.
Stormwater and floodplain staff presented the RLAA and a technical memo on flood-insurance assessment. Jesse Mains, Stormwater Management Division chief, and Floodplain Administrator Bridal Rahl said Alexandria currently holds a FEMA CRS Class 6 designation, which can provide up to a 20% reduction in flood-insurance premiums for affected properties. The RLAA identifies 14 repetitive-loss areas and 35 repetitive-loss properties (four classified as severe) across city watersheds. Recommended actions include capital improvement projects, accelerated maintenance and dredging, grading and drainage work on private properties, and use of a local flood-mitigation grant that provides up to $5,000 of city match for eligible private mitigation work with a $10,000 property owner contribution.
Councilman Chapman moved adoption of the RLAA recommendations; the motion was seconded by Councilwoman Green and passed by voice vote. Chapman then moved, and Green seconded, approval of submitting the flood-insurance assessment technical memo to FEMA; that motion also passed.
Staff said adoption will require annual reporting to FEMA on recommended actions and that the city has provisionally cleared FEMA CRS staff review pending formal adoption. Staff also described recent local investments and projects in 4 Mile Run and other watersheds, and said the city coordinates periodic sediment removal with Arlington and accelerates storm-inlet maintenance under the Flood Action Alexandria program.
Ending: Council action formalizes the city's mitigation priorities and positions Alexandria to document work in the CRS program that helps lower policyholders' premiums and guide future capital and maintenance investments.
