By TIM UNRUH

Salina Journal

CHAPMAN -- Basements built below the floodplain are OK after all in tornado-ravaged Chapman, if you build them right.

But the announcement comes after many residents, who believed they could not have a basement if they rebuilt, have already abandoned their property.

"Some have already sold their lots. At least this is my understanding," said Wanda Schlappy, who lost her Chapman home to the tornado June 11.

Tuesday's announcement "certainly changes my options," Schlappy said. "I don't know whether I will rebuild or not, but I'm in a much better position than I was before."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency confirmed in a Tuesday press release a provision that will allow residents who lost their homes in the June 11 tornado to rebuild their homes with basements without raising them above the floodplain, provided the basements are "flood proofed."

The Journal first reported nearly a month ago that basements could be built under current regulations.

In a press release, FEMA determined that the "basement exception provision" does apply in Chapman. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., applauded FEMA's "reversal" of its policy in a Tuesday release.

"No one from FEMA ever said they couldn't have a basement. What they couldn't have is a basement below flood elevation. I can't stress that enough," said Brian Bowman, a spokesman from the FEMA regional office in Kansas City, Mo.

He planned to be in Chapman today with other FEMA officials to assist people in applying for the exception.

"It's going to be fast-tracked," Bowman said. "It's another way to have a basement if you're willing to pay the money. It maybe gives somebody another option."

Extremely rare exemption

The exception is "extremely rare," he said, having been granted only 54 times in the 40-year history of the National Flood Insurance Program.

Bowman said he has no idea what circumstance brought about FEMA's decision to grant the exception to Chapman.

"Whatever was done, was done in Washington, D.C.," Bowman said. "It hasn't happened in Kansas in more than 10 years. It's not the normal course of business."

Either way, it's a positive development for folks teetering on decisions to rebuild or move, said Chapman businessman and resident Jon Londeen, who lost his home and a funeral chapel in the tornado. His hardware, furniture and appliance business also was damaged.

"This will make some of them real happy. It might also be too late for some," Jon Londeen said.

Chapman's floodplain administrator, Terra Hummel, declined comment Tuesday.

"We were just let know this morning. I have no information at this point," she said. "We will have comment (this) afternoon."

The National Flood Insurance Program generally prohibits building basements in floodplains, leaving most Chapman victims wondering what to do.

Take another look, please

Late last month, Brownback convinced FEMA to revisit the issue. Federal and state officials last week said that after further review they found an option for building basements.

Now basements are allowed to be built below the floodplain in Chapman if they are flood proofed, said Butch Kinerney, FEMA's mitigation directorate in Washington.

Flood proofing doesn't mean the basement must be water tight, he said. It means adding vents that allow water to flow through to alleviate water pressure that can push basements out of the ground or cave in basement walls.

"It looks like a vent you would see in the house that's built into the walls," Kinerney said.

The vents equalize water pressure.

"That way it's not going to collapse the walls of the basement," he said. "The vents themselves are not very expensive."

Homeowners need a flood-proofing certificate to rebuild their homes with basements below the floodplain, Kinerney said.

"Virtually all of Chapman is covered by this exception," he said.

Still going above-ground

Tuesday's news from FEMA won't change Jon and Kay Londeen's plans. They have ordered a manufactured home with an above-ground safe room in the garage.

"It should be done in three weeks. We're elevating the ground past flood level. They'll set our house with a crane," Jon Londeen said.

The couple are repairing their hardware, furniture and appliance store and will rebuild their Londeen's Funeral Chapel.

"For some, being able to keep their basements will be great," Jon Londeen said. "I haven't seen the particulars. We'll see how it plays out."

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.

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