And it also looks like it might stop (or be severely reduced) in this area.
City to agree to N. Natomas building curbs
By Mary Lynne Vellinga - mlvellinga@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, October 25, 2007
The Sacramento City Council has decided to follow a federal recommendation that it apply for a flooding designation that would impose building restrictions on North Natomas.
At the same time, however, the council directed staff members to include language in their application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency indicating that the city will later seek an exemption from the requirement that new homes be elevated 3 feet.
In North Natomas – where flood depths could exceed 20 feet – elevating homes by 3 feet would do no good, but would be so expensive that it would bring construction to a halt, said Gregory Thatch, a lawyer representing builders.
Sacramento and Sutter counties also plan to apply for the AR designation, which bans new construction outside existing urbanized areas. An AR designation requires homes built in "infill" areas to be elevated 3 feet, and commercial buildings to be waterproofed.
In September, FEMA rejected the city's application for an A99 designation, which would have allowed growth to continue unabated in North Natomas while the levees are brought up to the federal minimum standard of 100-year flood protection.
The council's unanimous vote Tuesday will let its staff meet a deadline of today to get a new application in. Officials said they will have to submit it without some of the necessary documents, which will be sent along later.
