MOUNT VERNON — A flood plain study for the city’s West End is one of the goals the Knox County Land Bank has set for 2023. The City of Mount Vernon has earmarked $25,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money for the study.
Land Bank Vice President Sam Filkins said owners of 797 west-end parcels are paying for flood insurance. Several residents have petitioned FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and been written out of FEMA requirements.
“Most likely, many homes are in the flood plain that don’t have to be,” Filkins said at the Jan. 6 land bank meeting, adding that being in the flood plain contributes to unaffordable housing.
“Being in the flood plain negatively impacts [home] values,” Tyler Griffith, Realtor and land bank board member, said.
Completing the study has long been a goal of the city and other local officials. One objective from a 2017 review of the county’s plan to reduce flooding was to update flood maps and adopt, appeal, or modify FEMA’ revisions.
FEMA is still working from a 1977 flood plain model. At the time, City Engineer Brian Ball noted that several changes, such as the channel of Dry Creek being deeper and able to hold more water, have occurred since 1977. If FEMA updated its model to reflect these changes, west-end residents would not have to opt out individually from FEMA’s flood insurance requirements.
Last week, Ball, who is a land bank board member, said that to update FEMA’s modeling, a risk assessment consisting of flood prediction and elevation analysis must be done.
A West End Neighborhood assessment completed by honors students at Mount Vernon Nazarene University also highlighted removing the West End from FEMA’s flood plain.
In presenting the assessment to the land bank board last November, MVNU student Chase Bennett said removing properties from the flood plain “would directly affect the citizens as it would decrease their insurance cost. It will also help with renters being incentivized to own, which would result in better upkeep.”
The land bank identified other goals for 2023:
•Begin construction on the former Mount Vernon News building at 18 E. Vine St. Filkins said that while he is still waiting to hear specifics on the Vibrant Community grant through Jobs Ohio, all of the feedback is positive.
•Complete current demolition projects, submit and receive reimbursement from the state, and close out the program
•Complete brownfield projects and submit and receive reimbursement. Projects include asbestos removal in the Heartland Commerce Park administration building and removing concrete pads on the Shellmar property. Both are two- to three-month projects.
•Create strategies and action steps to implement four corridor plans. MVNU students are wrapping up the North Sandusky plan; other plans are for the Roundhouse District, South Vernon, and the West End.
•Identify the highest and best use for the former Canterbury Villa property in Centerburg. Filkins said the structure will be demolished; several parties have expressed interest in the site.
In other land bank news, Land Bank President Jeff Gottke said demolition at Heartland Commerce Park should be completed in the next couple of weeks. Construction on the common areas should begin in the spring; current land bank maintenance staff can serve as construction managers.
The International Bowhunting Organization will once again bring its World Indoor Championship competition to Heartland Commerce Park in February. This year the competition is open to the public.
“That’s 400 attendees from around the country that will come to the county,” Gottke said.
