Libertyville homeowners to see discounted flood insurance but more regulations meant to mitigate flooding could be on the way

Aug. 9--Libertyville residents could see up to 20% discounts on flood insurance premiums after village officials successfully enrolled in a federal program that provides reduced rates in communities that have worked to minimize flood risks.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Flood Insurance Program provides discounts based on a rating system that evaluates preventative flood measures taken by local governments. Libertyville began the process of joining the incentive program after historic flooding swept through the area in July 2017, officials said.

"We didn't really have a grasp on what we were going achieve on this -- our first time through," Village Engineer Jeff Cooper said recently. "Six is a very good score. It's an excellent score for our first time through. We were very happy with that."

Insurance policies purchased or renewed after May 1 should see lower prices as a result of the FEMA program, officials said.

Libertyville properties in a floodplain could receive up to a 20% discount, while property owners outside a floodplain who still purchase flood insurance from private companies could receive up to a 10% discount, Cooper said.

The federal agency gave Libertyville a rating of six on a scale of one through nine -- with nine being the worst possible score, Cooper said.

He said Libertyville earned its six rating based on some established initiatives, including the fact that the village is a part of a regional watershed and offers assistance to property owners who need or want to improve their drainage.

But Mayor Terry Weppler and Trustee Peter Garrity recently wondered during a recent meeting what the village could do differently to improve its score with FEMA.

"I think I only counted 13 in the entire state that have a five or better," Cooper told officials, adding how some of those are larger communities with more land that could be used for flood management.

Cooper referenced how the now dormant nine-hole golf course at Riverside Park possibly could earn Libertyville more points with FEMA in the future, if officials want to revert the area back to a wetland.

The course hasn't been used since 2014 after a golf company that leased the land stopped paying rent. In 2016, the village seized control of the property in court, but officials haven't indicated a plan for the site since then.

Libertyville officials also recently reviewed their ongoing efforts to mitigate flooding through local ordinances, even though those efforts won't affect the village's insurance rating with FEMA.

Several proposed revisions to the village's stormwater management regulations would affect larger redevelopment projects, as well as smaller home improvements.

The proposed changes include requiring more cubic feet of detention or drainage when more impervious surface is added to a property and reducing the drainage credit homeowners receive for using pavers and open-grid decks.

"One of the considerations here is cost," Cooper said. "Our goal is to protect residents and make things better for everybody. We're not trying to put something in play that doesn't allow people to improve their backyard."

Another significant change could eliminate a credit for people who have pools since many of them still ultimately need to find a place to drain the pool water, he said.

Trustees for the most part saw the benefits to Cooper's proposed changes, but several expressed concern with the possibility of more costs for residents.

"What people need to realize is that they're actually adding to the value of their property by doing this, even if it's going to cost more to do it," said Trustee Scott Adams. "If they're going to build in Libertyville, they're going to have to live up to it."

___

(c)2019 Pioneer Press Newspapers (Suburban Chicago, Ill.)

Visit Pioneer Press Newspapers (Suburban Chicago, Ill.) at www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.