CLENDENIN, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Planning Office will begin helping the Town of Clendenin next week with flood recovery efforts.
The county commission and Clendenin signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday night. The help will be in the areas of flood plain management and the issuance of post-flood building permits, county manager Jennifer Sayre said.
“They (Clendenin) only have one staff person that can do that right now, so this will add additional people from the commission office that can assist with issuing those permits and looking at the substantial damage rate on the homes and determining if they (homeowners) need to come in compliance with FEMA guidelines,” Sayre said.
Residents whose homes are in the flood plain and sustained 50 percent in damage will have to follow FEMA rebuild requirements. Those with homes out of the flood plain will not, Sayre said.
The Kanawha County Planning Office has approved 55 building permits in the unincorporated Elk River areas. All rebuilding projects need a building permit, Sayre said. There are no charges for the permits.
“There are people out there who are already rebuilding and working on their homes. They don’t want to leave the area and we don’t want them to leave the area. This is their community and we want them to stay,” Sayre said.
There are many more residents who haven’t reached the rebuild stage. They are still in the process of cleaning up their properties four weeks after the flood, Sayre said.
The Kanawha County Planning Office is working with FEMA Corps on property inspections determining the percentage of damage, Sayre said.
“They have a software that they use. They bring us the numbers and we will issue letters to property owners if they are in that substantial damage range (50 percent or more damage),” Sayre said.