Kenai Peninsula Borough hears public presentation on FEMA flood maps; adoption required before Feb. 28, 2025

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Policies and Procedures Committee heard a presentation and public questions about Ordinance 2024-35, which would amend KPB 21.06.030 to adopt FEMA’s most recent Flood Insurance Study and associated Flood Insurance Rate Maps for portions of the Kenai River.

Julie Hyman, a planner at the River Center, told the committee the maps are effective Feb. 28, 2025, and therefore “they would need to be adopted prior to that date.” She said the updated study uses newer hydrologic methods, which can make changes appear larger than they are when converted to the older system used previously.

The ordinance matters because adoption is a condition of participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Hyman said losing participation could remove eligibility for federal flood insurance and make federally backed loans and some federal funding for infrastructure and disaster assistance unavailable. “HUD programs would find resistance in being able to build, your VA loans, 1st time homeowners — those are federally backed, so that would... cause an issue,” she said.

Assembly members pressed staff on how elevations change and the local effects. Hyman said changes vary across the study area: “in general, 2 feet is what we’re kinda seeing in those more drastic areas. But most cases, it’s a foot to 2 and a half feet would be the most drastic.” She added that some reported larger numbers are a product of converting between old and new modeling systems.

Committee members also asked about practical impacts for property owners. Hyman said being in the floodway does not automatically prohibit use of land but typically adds requirements and costs. She and others noted that engineered designs for building in the floodway can cost “10 to 40,000” dollars. On property valuations, Hyman said the borough assessor, Adena Wilcox, told staff that floodplain determinations are not automatically factored into property tax assessments; owners can pursue assessor review if they believe parts of a parcel are unusable.

Robert Ruffner, planning director, told the committee the borough’s planning commission recommended approval by majority at its December meeting; he said the city of Kenai had initially hesitated but later joined as a political subdivision after weighing the risks of losing federal funding for projects such as bluff erosion work.

Hyman said FEMA and the Corps’ contractors worked on the study beginning in 2017 and that FEMA Region 10 has responded to congressional inquiries. She also said FEMA is open to technical appeals: “if people think that there’s something technically wrong with the study they’re open to... repeating the study” and will consider revised analysis.

No formal adoption vote on Ordinance 2024-35 was recorded at the committee meeting. The ordinance was identified as not eligible for consent and remains scheduled for further assembly consideration; staff emphasized adoption must occur before the maps’ effective date to preserve eligibility for federal insurance and some federal funding streams.

The committee also received constituent outreach updates and said staff will continue one-on-one assistance for property owners who need help interpreting the maps.

The assembly moved on to other agenda items after questions concluded.