The Alewife

Rindge Aveune construction update

City Councillor Craig A. Kelley brought this from the city's DPW Web site to our attention:

[an excerpt]

Project updates

05/07/2008- The City's contractor, Aggregate Industries, has completed all sidewalk excavation, curb installation, and rough grading on Rindge Avenue. They are currently working with various utility companies to adjust the height of metal structures in the sidewalk, with the expectation that they will be in a position to fine grade, place forms, and place concrete once the structures have been adjusted. Concrete work could begin as early as next week, and will include a number of driveway aprons; impacted properties will be contacted directed to coordinate when driveways will be out of service to allow the placement and curing of concrete.

The City has been working to plant trees on both the public sidewalk and the private back of sidewalk (described in the 4/3 update posted below). Click here to view a map of locations that have been identified to date for tree planting [note that this map only shows Cambridge street trees, not park trees or trees on property owned by others].

Kelley: Neighborhood flood insurance meeting Tuesday

City Councillor Craig A. Kelley sent over this notice:

Folks:

If you live in and around the Alewife Brook area of North Cambridge (see the attached map), you may may have already received the notice from the Cambridge Dept. of Public Works about Tuesday's meeting to discuss changes to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps proposed by FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency). Even if you don't live in impacted areas, you may still be interested in how our flood plain is changing, as none of us are really that much higher than anyone else.

This email from DPW staff with additional information, links and email addresses should you want to investigate further on your own:

The DPW announcement noted that in the latest draft of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps, about 160 buildings will be added to the flood plain limits compared to the maps currently in effect. If you're one of those 160 buildings, you really want to pay attention to this. Additionally, there are a few other key points I think everyone might be interested in:

Many of the affected buildings will be required to have flood insurance if the property has a mortgage and will be in a high risk area (mostly in the area near the Arlington border).

Flood insurance is not part of standard homeowners insurance.

The estimated insurance for a single family home in the high risk areas is $2462 per year for $250,000 building coverage with standard contents coverage and deductible. (see floodsmart.gov for other estimates)

Renters may be affected because the landlord could offset the additional insurance cost by increasing the rent.

If flood insurance is purchased before the new maps are approved, the existing rates can be used for as long as the coverage is maintained, and the rate can be transferred to future owners. In the previous example, the rate outside the high risk area is estimated to be $1251, a savings of over $100 per month.

The property elevations (heights) used in the maps were taken by airplane. One neighbor had a certified survey showing different elevations than the proposed maps.

FEMA has a Community Rating System that gives insurance discounts of 5% to 45% depending on activities performed by the community. Cambridge does not currently participate, but is checking the requirements.

Representatives from FEMA, the state, and the city will attend the meeting to answer questions.

The meeting will be:

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

7pm - 9pm

Peabody (formerly Fitzgerald) School Auditorium

70 Rindge Avenue

Do You Need Flood Insurance?

If you live or own property in Cambridge , especially in North Cambridge, Cambridge Highlands , Strawberry Hill, West Cambridge or Neighborhood 9 you should be aware of the proposed revisions to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps proposed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Your property may be in the proposed new flood plain limits and you may be required to purchase flood insurance. FEMA is in the process of updating the flood maps for Cambridge and surrounding communities. This process will revise the limits of the flood plain, which in Cambridge is principally located in the Alewife area. Approximately 160 additional buildings are proposed to be included in the revised flood plain limits in Alewife.

Residents, businesses, and property owners are invited to a community meeting:

Tuesday, March 4, 2008
7pm – 9pm
Peabody School Auditorium
70 Rindge Avenue

The Cambridge Department of Public Works (DPW) is sponsoring this meeting to help residents and property owners understand the proposed changes to the flood plain limits, the schedule and process for the flood map changes, how this may affect your property, and the insurance options available to you. Representatives from FEMA and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Flood Hazard Management Program will also be in attendance to answer your questions.

The City urges anyone who thinks they may be affected by the new flood maps or would like more information to attend this meeting.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Catherine Daly Woodbury, Cambridge DPW: 617-349-4818/ cwoodbury@cambridgema.gov,

David Mendelsohn, FEMA Region 1: 617-832-4713/ david.mendelsohn@dhs.gov , or

Richard Zingarelli, DCR: 617-626-1406/ richard.zingarelli@state.ma.us.

More information is also available online at http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/stormwater/fema.html.