FEMA Examines Potential Flood Areas

ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency is looking at developments that might be endangered by floodwaters from the Cumberland River.

Video: FEMA Examines Developments Near Potential Flood Plain

The Harpeth Shoals Marina is the first phase of a planned development in Ashland City that includes housing.

But Cheatham County officials are taking a second look at what gets built in the flood plain.

"Water somehow attracts people and makes them feel good,” said developer John Rankin.

Rankin said he has a vision for how Ashland City's riverfront could look.

First, he built the Harpeth Shoals Marina with 161 new boat slips.

Next door, rising from the banks of the Cumberland River, are the 10-story Braxton Condominiums.

“It's just recently with the expansion of Highway 12 this area opened up and people can see the beauty of this river,” Rankin said.

He said he wants to build executive homes on the opposite side of the river, but county officials aren't sure about putting houses so close to the water because FEMA is looking over their shoulders.

This week at the county planning office, FEMA officials are reviewing all of the county's flood plain maps and they're walking the banks of the Cumberland River.

With new threats that the Wolf Creek Dam could fail and with memories of Hurricane Katrina, FEMA officials said they want to make sure people are not allowed to build in a danger zone.

Rankin said he does meet those requirements.

“I think flood plain management is important, but I think the issue we face right now in this county is we have some political figures and processes that are policy-oriented, not hydraulically-engineered-oriented,” he said.

Until FEMA is finished, Rankin doesn't know if his project will get the go-ahead.

County Mayor Bill Orange said this is about protecting residents who built in the flood plain years ago.

Now when someone builds upstream, the runoff puts the original residents in danger of being swallowed up by flood waters.

Orange said the county has an obligation to protect those homeowners and area businesses.

County Planning Commissioner Rusty Mcfarland said the county tries to work with developers but that the county wants to make sure it doesn't lose its FEMA flood insurance.