The Ventura County Watershed Protection District has stated that a section of the Sespe Creek Levee is deficient, and approximately 1,500 Fillmore homeowners will be required to purchase flood insurance by January 2010.

A public hearing will be held October 22 at the Fillmore Veterans Memorial Building on the required insurance and its cost.

Originally, 3,000 homes were included in a preliminary flood-zone map released by FEMA in May 2008.

According to Fillmore Public Works Director Bert Rapp the lower half of the flood zone, from Old Telegraph Rd. to Hwy 126 will not be certified until the levee is retrofitted. Rapp said the 1,500 homeowners can save considerable money by buying flood insurance before FEMA finalizes its Fillmore flood map, by January 20, 2010.

VCWPD staff has explained that flood insurance would be available until the end of 2009 at a reduced rate of $350 per year. Fillmore residents within the designated floodplain might be required by mortgage-holders to pay $1700 per year if they wait to buy insurance and the levee is not certified. Even if the levee is certified, as expected, the price for flood insurance will rise to $850 per year after 2009.

See flood map attached below.