Mountain View is still closed but work looks close to completion.

Q: Do I have to purchase flood insurance? Didn’t FEMA postpone the insurance requirement?

A: Many Fillmore residents are being told by their lenders and insurance carriers that they must purchase flood insurance even though they are not required to. Effective January 21, 2010, FEMA adopted a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMR) that effectively postponed the requirement to purchase flood insurance for about two years.

If you are being asked to purchase flood insurance and you do not want the insurance, you can obtain a copy of the LOMR by downloading it from the City of Fillmore web site (www.fillmoreca.com) or pick up a copy at City Hall during regular business hours. The send the LOMR to your lender or insurance agent and it will provide them the information they need to see that you are not required to purchase flood insurance.

There are two small areas of the City that are still required to purchase flood insurance. These areas have been required to have flood insurance since 1984 and include the easterly section of the El Dorado Mobile Home Park and an area in the vicinity of C Street and River Street.

Q: What are the purple pipes for along the railroad and bike path?

A: The purple pipes are a temporary irrigation system to water a tall fescue grass that will be planted this month along the railroad corridor from B Street to Central Avenue. After the grass is established the above ground sprinklers will be removed and the grass will be irrigated with a subsurface drip system.

The subsurface drip system is an important part of the winter time disposal system for surplus recycled water so it is not discharged to the river. During heavy rain events the drip system will percolate water into the soil. During the summer it will keep the grass green. The tall fescue will be mowed about twice a year.

Q: When will the Mountain View railroad crossing be opened back up?

A: The Mountain View Railroad crossing was opened up to pedestrian traffic on Tuesday March 2nd and will be opened to vehicle traffic on Sunday evening March 7th. The work to install concrete railroad pads is about a week ahead of schedule. In about four months Mountain View will be repaved and the street will be like new.

If you have questions regarding our public infrastructure please send them to: Bert J. Rapp, P.E., Public Works Director at City Hall, 250 Central Avenue, Fillmore CA 93015, or leave a message 24 hours a day at 524-1500 x 231 and he will address them in a future column.