Downingtown Announces PEMA Buyout Program

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — Flooding is not new to Downingtown, but Hurricane Ida succeeded in bringing an "unprecedented" volume of water to the Borough's business district and neighborhoods, and officials are responding by participating in a state buyout program.

Downingtown Borough Council Vice President Alex Rakoff became concerned that the Borough would not be competitive for funding because the Borough's mitigation plan was destroyed in the flood. A news statement explained, "the only copy of the plan was paper and is now pulp."

"We decided that we would make a special effort to help homeowners who have experienced repeat flooding to be part of the voluntary buyout program offered by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)," Rakoff said.

The effort is part of a larger effort to address the flooding in Downingtown. The East Branch of the Brandywine Creek begins at an elevation of 6,60 feet and has a recorded elevation of 239 feet in Downingtown, the Borough said. The spatial elevation of the Borough puts the town in a difficult position. The lack of vertical equity within the watershed of the East Branch of the Brandywine Creek is compounded by the confluence of both Parke Run and Beaver Creek, a Borough news statement explained.

Rakoff was part of a conference on Wednesday in which PEMA laid out plans for the buyout program. The Borough was in touch with Chester County officials and found that Downingtown has been included in the County Mitigation Plan. Therefore, it will not be necessary for the Borough to create a mitigation plan and submit a complicated application before Nov. 19.

"We were prepared to do it, but it seemed a little unrealistic," said Rakoff.

Information Sessions Announced

The Borough announced there will be two open sessions to distribute the paperwork and to assist residents in completing the paperwork.

The sessions are on the next two Saturdays at Minquas Firehouse, 141 Wallace Ave., Downingtown.

The first is on Nov. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon and the second is next Saturday, Nov. 13, also from 8 a.m. to noon.

Anyone seeking explanation or information who cannot attend either session can go to the Borough consultant's website: barrycassidy.com and leave a message in the contact format.

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