Levee Project

Hello everyone, 

This post is to update you  on a challenging task Foster City shall be undertaking in the next coming years.

Let me open by stating as a City we are fine at this moment in regards to flood protection but we must move forward with a plan to address levee improvements, provide excellent analysis to our City Council for clear policy direction on the project, while engaging and educating all of our residents in Foster City on our plan to meet the challenges ahead.

Recently the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted a coastal flood hazard study.  Even though they have certified our levee since 1997,  this new study used a new methodology and has determined that roughly 85% of Foster City’s levee system does not meet FEMA requirements.

This means the levee will not retain accreditation status if action is not taken, placing the City in a flood zone designation that will require property owners with Federally-backed loans to obtain flood insurance and require owners selling properties in Foster City to disclose the flood zone designation as part of the sale, which could potentially lower property values.

Here are some important facts about what this means for us as a city:

·         If no action to update the levee is taken, Foster City will be placed in a flood zone designation area, and residents could be required to purchase flood insurance.

·         Flood insurance is estimated to be thousands of dollars annually.

·         The Levee project is being implemented to protect the city, and to avoid this zone designation shift.

·         The project focuses on the renovation of existing levees and construction of a new levee protection system that meets FEMA certification requirements.

·         Estimated Cost For the Project: Up to $75million.

·         Expected Completion Date: Mid- 2020.

·         The City will be hiring a financial consultant to assist with determining financing options for the project. 

·         The city plans to reinstall the levee pedway, and widen if possible, so that recreational uses are improved or at least maintained.

Please be aware this project is of the upmost importance as it is vital in keeping our housing and business property values high, avoiding new flood insurance costs, and protecting our homes and business from the chance of a natural disaster.

Please feel free to contact me, reach out to our Public Works office or share your thoughts here, so we can start a dialogue of our City's plans and issues, on the levee project. For more information go to http://www.fostercity.org/publicworks/lagoonandlevee/Levee-Protection-Planning.cfm.