Final Notice and Public
Explanation of a Proposed Activity
in a Federal Flood Risk
Management Standard
Designated Floodplain or Wetland
Date of Notice: June 14, 2025
Name of Responsible Entity: Town of Welaka, Florida
Address: 400 4th Avenue
Welaka, Florida 32193
Contact: Tyler Buford, Utility Supervisor
Telephone Number: (386) 467-9800
To: All interested Agencies, Groups and Individuals
This is to give notice the Town of Welaka under 24 CFR Part 58 has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive Order(s) 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, and Executive Order 11990, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection. The activity is funded under the Florida Department of Commerce (FloridaCommerce) Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program under subgrant agreement number #23DB-N19 are in some parts located in the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain and wetland.
The proposed project locations are Town-wide in the Town of Welaka, in Putnam County Florida. The Town-wide service area was evaluated to determine if and to what extent the project area is in either the 100-year floodplain or the FFRMS 500-year floodplain. The assessment methodology included utilization of the FEMA Map Service (which included both the 100-year floodplain and the .2 FFRMS 500-year floodplain designations), the Federal Flood Standard Support Tool (FFSST) to obtain CISA data as a supplemental assessment tool, and the US Geological Survey National Map application confirming the lift station project area is not located within the FFRMS.
The Town of Welaka, Florida, in Putnam County, has been awarded $600,000 in CDBG-SC grant funding to improve potable water and sanitary sewer infrastructure owned and operated by the Town. The project will involve the replacement of approximately 670 water meters town-wide and demolition and replacement of sanitary sewer lift station 6. Based on preliminary assessments, four areas receiving replacement water meters are located in the 100-year floodplain. They include (1) the 67.7- acre area in the far northwest section of the Town (Zone AE), (2) the 25.5 acre area between Old Welaka Road to the north and east, Orange Street to the south and Greenwood to the West (Zone A), (3) a small area on Oak Ridge Drive within a 21.1 acre floodplain area (Zone A), and (4) the 56.4-acre area in the far southeast portion of the Town (Zone AE). Minimal construction will occur in a 3.56 acre Palustrine Emergent Persistent Semi-Permanently Flooded (PEM1F) wetland in the Oak Ridge Drive area. The replacement of the water mains will be conducted with minimum excavation, as water meters are located just below grade, and the water meters are resilient to external wet conditions as they are considered part of the water lines. The projects proposed improvements to Lift Station number 6, located on 2nd Avenue, between Boston Street on the north and Orange Street on the South are not located in a 100-year floodplain or a wetland.
Service Area #1 - Town-Wide Potable Water Meter Replacement:
The Town will replace all of the 670 existing water meters on the Town's potable water system with automatic read meters (ARM)s. The beneficiaries of the water meter replacement activity include all occupied residential properties served by the Towns potable water system. Service area 1 will benefit 1,556 persons, of which 1,091 (or 70.12%) are considered Low-to Moderate-Income (LMI) persons.
Service Area #2 Town Wide Service Area and Project Area:
The Town will rehabilitate the components in Lift Station Number Six of the Town's sanitary sewer collection system. The proposed improvements will include but are not limited to the demolition of existing lift station components, conversion of above ground configuration to submersible pump setup, wet well lining/coating, the installation of new piping and valves, new controls and electrical improvements, along with bypass pumping, sitework, and restoration of the Lift Station. Lift Station Number Six is located on the east side of 2nd Avenue, 255 Linear Feet (LF) South of Boston Street and 316 LF North of Orange Street within the Town of Welaka. Service Area 2 will benefit 624 people, of which 402 (or 64.42%) of those persons are considered LMI persons. The projects proposed improvements to Lift Station number 6, located on 2nd Avenue, between Boston Street on the north and Orange Street on the South are not located in an FFRMS floodplain or a wetland.
The proposed project budget is as follows:
Activity Name
03J - Replacement of Water Meters
03J Sewer Lift Station Rehabilitation
03L Engineering
21A Administration
CDBG Budget
$ 255,600.00
$ 220,200.00
$ 76,200.00
$ 48,000.00
City Funds
$ 0.00
$ 0.00
$ 25,000.00
$ 0.00
Total
$ 255,000.00
$ 220,200.00
$ 101,200.00
$ 48,000.00
LMI% Benefit
At Least 51%
At Least 51%
N/A
N/A
Total
$ 600,000.00
$ 25,000.00
$ 625,000.00
These activities will have no significant impact on the environment for the following reason:
The proposed project replaces the existing water meters for all the Towns 670 water customers. Of these 670 water meters, approximately 155 meters in the northwest section of town, approximately five (5) water meters in area between Old Welaka Road to the north and east, Orange Street to the south and Greenwood to the West, approximately 10 meters in the Oak Ridge Drive area, and approximately 42 meters in the far southwest section of town are located in the 100-year floodplain. Three (3) water meters likely would be located in PEM1F wetland in the Oak Ridge Drive area.
The Town of Welaka has evaluated the potential of completing this project outside the 100-year floodplain and wetlands and has considered alternatives for doing so. The first alternative would be to exclude 212 of the 670 meters, or 31.64% of the Towns water customers from the water meter project. A second alternative would be to relocate the residents in the floodplain or wetland to a location outside the floodplain, that would require substantial acquisition and relocation costs, increasing costs well beyond the projects budgetary constraints and expanding project timeframes to an unforeseeable completion date due to conducting acquisitions in compliance with the Uniform Relocation Act. Finally, the Town considered the option of simply not moving forward with the water meter portion of the project. This option would leave the Towns residents and Town staff without the improved service provided by the updated water meters.
The Town concluded that while a portion of the proposed project is located within the 100-year floodplain and or a wetland, the best approach to addressing the potable water needs of the residents in the service area, is to make improvements to the existing infrastructure as initially proposed. The Town will ensure that necessary precautionary measures during construction are taken to mitigate the minimum impacts necessitated by the installation of the replacement water meters. Environmental files that document compliance with steps 3 through 6 of Executive Order 11988 and or 11990, are available for public inspection, review and copying upon request at the times and location delineated in the last paragraph of this notice for receipt of comments.
Although a small portion of the project (water meters) will be located in a 100-year floodplain and or wetland, the Town believes that the locations of the proposed improvements cannot be undertaken in any other location due to the scope of the project, the logistics of the sites and the proximity to the homes it serves, and the fact that the proposed scope is designed to provide better water service to the residents in Service Area One. There is, therefore, no practicable alternative than to continue with the project as proposed.
The proposed improvements conform to applicable floodplain and wetlands protection standards. The proposed action will not affect natural or beneficial floodplain and/or wetland values, and residents of the community will benefit from the project.
The Town of Welaka has reevaluated alternatives to completing the project in the floodplain and wetland and has determined that it has no practicable alternative to the floodplain and wetland development. Environmental files documenting compliance with Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, and Executive Order 11990, are available for public inspection, review and copying upon request at the times and location delineated in the last paragraph of this notice for receipt of comments.
There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in a floodplain and wetland and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about projects located in a floodplain and or a wetland can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in a floodplain and wetland it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.
Written comments must be received by Tyler Buford, Utility Supervisor at 400 4th Avenue, Welaka, Florida 32193 and (386) 467-9800 on or before June 23, 2025 A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 8:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday at 400 4th Avenue, Welaka, Florida. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Tyler Buford, Utility Supervisor, at (386) 467-9800. Comments may also be submitted by email tyler@welaka-fl.gov.
Kathy Washington, Mayor
Environmental Certifying Official
400 4th Avenue
Welaka, Florida 32193
Legal No. 00111291
06/14/25