JOINT FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL

PUBLIC NOTICE

(October 4, 2024)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida Division of Emergency Management have received the following application for Federal grant funding.  Final notice is hereby given of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) consideration to provide funding in the form of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Funds will be provided in accordance with Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), federal actions must be reviewed and evaluated for feasible alternatives and for social, economic, historic, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. Under Executive Order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990 FEMA is required to consider alternatives to and to provide public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands. EO 12898 also requires FEMA to provide the opportunity for public participation in the planning process and to consider potential impacts to minority or low-income populations.

Funding for the proposed project will be conditional upon compliance with all applicable federal, tribal, state and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards, permit requirements and conditions.

Applicant:

Seminole County

Project Title:

HMGP-Hurricane Ian - HMGP-4673-141-R Seminole County, Whitcomb Drive Acquisition/ Demolition #1

Location of Proposed Work:

The area affected by this project consists of a residential home in the following location:

Whitcomb Dr., Geneva, FL, 32732

Proposed Work and Purpose:

Acquire the property from the homeowner, demolish the existing, damaged structure, clear the land, and designate the property as open space, to be held and maintained as such by Seminole County into perpetuity.

Project Alternatives:

The alternatives to the project that have been and will be considered are 1) the no action alternative and 2) elevate the existing structure. These alternatives to the proposed project are not viable because under Alternative 1) repetitive flooding is not alleviated and the needs of the community would not be served; and Alternative 2) the property’s location puts it at risk of continued future flooding that could require additional future elevations. The property owners are seeking a final and permanent solution.

Comment Period:

Comments are solicited from the public; local, state or federal agencies; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed project. The comments should be made in writing and addressed to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Mitigation, 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100. These are due within 30 days of this notice. The State will forward comments to applicable regulatory agencies as needed. Interested persons may submit comments, obtain more detailed information about the proposed action, or request a copy of the findings by contacting:

Kathryn Valentine, Mitigation and Resiliency Manager                             (407) 665-1012

Seminole County Emergency Management                                                  kvalentine@seminolecountyfl.gov                                                 

Kayla Born, State Lead Environmental Specialist                                        (850) 273-9289

Florida Division of Emergency Management                                                Kayla.Born@em.myflorida.com