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THE CITY OF GARLAND ADOPTED A NEW VOLUNTARY FLOOD-PRONE PROPERTY BUYOUT PROGRAM, AND IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, SENT LETTERS TO A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO LIVE ALONG CREEKS AND STREAMS HERE IN GARLAND.THAT LETTER DETAILING THIS VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.
AND ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT IT, SOME OF YOU STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SO WE RECENTLY TOOK THOSE QUESTIONS TO CITY ENGINEERING DIRECTOR MIKEK FOR SOME ANSWERS.
SO WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM? FIRST OFF, THE CITY'S NOT TRYING TO TAKE ANYONE'S PROPERTY.
THE PRO THE PROGRAM IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO REDUCE FLOOD LOSSES WITHIN THE CITY AND TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WHOSE HOMES, UH, FREQUENTLY FLOOD FROM CREEK FLOODING.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS? PROPERTY OWNER MUST VOLUNTARILY APPLY, FIRST PROPERTY, MUST EXPERIENCE FREQUENT FLOOD DAMAGE.
UH, PROPERTY MUST ALSO BE A SINGLE FAMILY OR DUPLEX RESIDENCE, AND THE PROPERTY MUST HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE OR ACQUIRE FLOOD INSURANCE SOON.
AND THE PROPERTY MUST BE CURRENT ON ITS TAXES.
THIS PROGRAM, AGAIN, IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY AND ONLY IF THE PROPERTY OWNER REQUESTS IT.
IN ADDITION, FEMA GRANT FUNDING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACQUIRE ALSO REQUIRES THE PROGRAM TO BE VOLUNTARY.
SO WHY DID I GET A LETTER IF MY HOME IS NEVER FLOODED? BEFORE WE SENT THE LETTER TO APPROXIMATELY 900, ALMOST 900 RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF GARLAND.
THE LETTER WAS SENT TO EVERY PROPERTY OWNER THAT WAS SHOWN TO BE ON THE FEMA FLOOD MAPS, EITHER IN THE FLOODPLAIN, PARTIALLY IN THE FLOODPLAIN, AND IN SOME CASES ADJACENT TO THE FLOODPLAIN.
THEREFORE, SOME OF THE PROPERTIES MAY HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY ACTUAL FLOOD DAMAGES.
IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE FROM THE MAPS, UH, WHETHER A PROPERTY IS TRULY IN OR OUT, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T MISS ANYONE THAT ACTUALLY HAD FLOOD DAMAGES.
SO BY ME GETTING THIS LETTER, WILL THAT PERHAPS AFFECT MY PROPERTY VALUES? NO.
THE LETTERS WERE SENT TO PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE ALREADY OR NEAR THE FEMA FLOOD ZONES.
AND ACTUALLY BUYERS SELLERS AND MORTGAGE COMPANIES TYPICALLY CHECK THIS DURING THE SALE OF A PROPERTY ANYWAY.
HOW MUCH WILL THE CITY PAY FOR THE PROPERTY? THE CITY WILL PAY FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR A PROPERTY AS DETERMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT APPRAISAL.
IF THE PARTICIPATING OWNER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE AMOUNT, THEN THE OWNER MAY CHOOSE TO CONTRACT AN APPRAISER ON HIS OWN.
IF THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH BOTH APPRAISALS, THEN THE OWNER MAY STILL OPT OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
THIS IS STRICTLY A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.
SO HOW LONG WILL THIS WHOLE PROCESS TAKE FROM START TO FINISH? FROM THE ENTIRE PROCESS, FROM THE APPLICATION ALL THE WAY TO THE EXPECTED, UH, PAYMENT IS ANYWHERE FROM WHAT WE ANTICIPATE 18 TO 24 MONTH PROCESS.
THERE'S A DEADLINE OF MAY 31ST TO APPLY VOLUNTARILY TO THE CITY OF GARLAND.
AND THEN THE REST OF THE PROCESS TAKES PLACE WITH US PREPARING OUR APPLICATION FOR THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND UL ULTIMATELY TO FEMA.
CAN I CHANGE MY MIND AFTER I APPLY? YES.
AN OWNER CAN OPT OUT OF THE PROGRAM ALL THE WAY UNTIL THEY SIGN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT, WHICH IS NEAR THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROCESS.
AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN, IT IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.
SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PROPERTY AFTER IT'S SOLD? WELL, TO QUALIFY FOR THE FEMA GRANT FUNDING, THE ACQUIRED PROPERTIES ARE FOREVER TO REMAIN A NATURAL OPEN SPACE.
IT CANNOT BE REUSED FOR A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OR ANY KIND OF STRUCTURE BE PLACED ON THE, ON THE PROPERTY.
IT HAS TO FOREVER REMAIN AN OPEN SPACE.
SO DOES THE PROPERTY BECOME PARKLAND AFTER IT'S CLEARED? YES.
THE PARKS, THE DEPARTMENT WILL PROBABLY BECOME THE CARETAKERS OF THE PROPERTY AND HOWEVER, FEMA RESTRICTIONS ONLY ALLOW NATURAL OPEN SPACE.
BUT THEY'VE ALSO POSSIBLY CAN GRANT, UH, AT GRADE TRAIL THROUGH THESE PROPERTIES, MAYBE WITH A BENCH.
BUT THAT WOULD BE THE MOST STRUCTURES THAT YOU WOULD POSSIBLY SEE ON THESE PROPERTIES.
SO WILL A PARK PERHAPS BE CONSTRUCTED BESIDE MY HOUSE? NO.
FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THE CITY UNDERSTANDS FEMA WILL NOT ALLOW PLAYGROUNDS WITH SLIDES, CLIMBING STRUCTURES, OR ANY OTHER STRUCTURE THAT WOULD IMPEDE THE FLOW OF WATER ACROSS THE PROPERTY.
SO WHAT HAPPENS TO MY PROPERTY VALUE IF OTHER HOMES ARE SOLD AROUND ME? THE CITY DOESN'T ANTICIPATE THE VALUE OF THE REMAINING PROPERTIES TO CHANGE DUE TO THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTIES ADJACENT TO THEM OR AROUND THEM.
AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT THIS VOLUNTARY PROGRAM@GARLANDTX.GOV SLASH FLOOD BUYOUT.
BUT IF YOU STILL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS OR NEED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO CONTACT THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AT 9 7 2 2 0 5 2 1 7 0
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OR EMAIL FLOOD PRONE BUYOUT GARLAND TX.GOV.