Early Notice and Public Review...
Early Notice and Public Review...
Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed
Activity in a Federal Flood Risk Management
Standard Designated Floodplain
To: All interested Agencies, including Federal, State, and Local, Groups and Individuals
This is to give notice that the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under 24 CFR Part 50 has determined that the following proposed action under HUD Section 232 of the National Housing Act, FHA #071-43310 is located in the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain, and HUD will be identifying and evaluating practicable alternatives to locating the action within the floodplain and the potential impacts on the floodplain from the proposed action, as required by Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands. The proposed project location is located at 10 North Washington Street in Hinsdale, Dupage County, Illinois. The extent of the FFRMS floodplain was determined using a 0.2 percent flood approach and freeboard value approach.
The proposed action under consideration for mortgage insurance, which is known as Magnolia Senior Living, consists of one (1) three-story assisted living facility (ALF) and memory care facility (MCF) with a full basement constructed in 1976 and rehabilitated in 2013. The ALF/MCF is licensed for seventy (70) beds located within sixty-one (61) resident rooms and is situated on 1.1356 acres of land. Located within the ALF/MCF are common areas, a facility kitchen, laundry facilities, a fitness center (currently out of commission), a kitchenette, a salon, a maintenance shop/building engineer office, and mechanical areas. Exterior property improvements include a courtyard, a storage shed, tuck-under parking, landscaped regions, and asphalt parking areas. The Sponsor is submitting this project under the HUD LEAN Section 232 Program, consisting of the substantial rehabilitation of the existing facility and conversion from an ALF/MCF to an ALF only, which will feature sixty-seven (67) beds located within fifty-six (56) resident rooms.
The subject property is in need of rehabilitation activities to improve the safety, accessibility, and quality of life of the tenants. The facility is currently licensed for twelve (12) memory care units, with insufficient staff to serve the memory care patients. The current design of the facility includes limited common space and two-bedroom units for assisted living, while the overall layout of the memory care area was not well-suited for resident care. As such, the proposed conversion of the existing memory care units to assisted living units will improve the level of comfort and individual care experienced by residents. The memory care space will be converted into two-bedroom assisted living units, and the common areas will be expanded to provide recreational space available for assisted living tenants. There is no increase to the overall building footprint, and proposed exterior repairs consist of remodeling the entryway by adding a seventy-five (75) square foot addition to provide a vestibule to the main entrance of the building; limited landscaping work at the east main entrance near the new vestibule; and roofing replacement.
According to FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) #17043C-0191J, dated August 1, 2019, as confirmed by the Village of Hinsdale ArcGIS and the DuPage County ArcGIS, the majority of the subject property is located within Unshaded Zone X, designated as an area outside the 100 and 500-year floodplain. However, the southwestern portion of the subject property is located within Shaded Zone X, designated as an area within the 500-year floodplain associated with Flagg Creek, a culvert (DPFC). According to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center accessed at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home, there are no preliminary or pending FIRMs for the subject property.
In order to determine the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain for this project, which is a critical action, an evaluation of the FFRMS elevations via the 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Approach (0.2PFA) and the Freeboard Value Approach (FVA) were conducted.
The nearest flooding source, Flagg Creek (DPFC), has an area of ponding, Zone A/100-year floodplain, to the south, which the on-site 500-year floodplain is associated with. Please note that base flood elevations (BFEs) are not provided for approximate Zone A areas.
According to the HUD FFRMS FAQ accessed at https://www.hudexchange.info/faqs/4329/what-if-the-fema-map-shows-a-100-year-floodplain-but-not-its-base-flood/, “What if the FEMA map shows a 100-year floodplain but not its base flood elevation (undetermined A zones)? You could check the elevation of the edge of the 100-year floodplain closest to your project and add 2 feet, or 3 feet for critical actions, to approximate the Freeboard Value Approach (FVA) elevation. This would effectively be using the best available data in your area to determine the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain.â€
Based on elevation calculations using the USGS National Map Viewer accessed at https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/, the Zone A/100-year floodplain elevation was determined to be 693 feet. Under FVA, the FFRMS elevation was calculated at 696 feet, corresponding to the Zone A/100-year floodplain elevation of 693 feet, plus 3 feet of freeboard for this critical action.
It should additionally be noted that based on a review of elevation profile feature within the USGS National Map Viewer, the nearest portion of the subject property to the Zone A/100-year floodplain has an elevation of approximately 686 feet. However, there is a topographic feature as high as 693 feet between the subject property and the Zone A, 100-year floodplain area that would prevent the Zone A floodplain from encroaching to the subject property.
Under 0.2PFA, in order to determine the FFRMS floodplain elevation, D3G reviewed the effective FEMA Flood Insurance Study (FIS) #17043C-V001B and #17043C-V004B dated August 1, 2019. According to the effective FIS Flood Profile for Flagg Creek, the limit of the flood study associated with Flagg Creek (DPFC) is located approximately 1.05 miles to the southwest of the subject property. Therefore, based on the fact that the limits of the 500-year floodplain associated with the section of Flagg Creek (DPFC) closest to the subject property are approximate, D3G utilized elevations accessed via the USGS National Map Viewer as the best available data to determine the elevation of the 500-year floodplain. The FFRMS elevation was determined to be 688 feet.
Under FVA, the FFRMS floodplain elevation would correspond to the most-restrictive 100-year floodplain BFE of 693 feet, plus 3 feet of freeboard, for an elevation of 696 feet.
Based on elevation calculations using the USGS National Map Viewer, the subject property elevation ranges from approximately 687 to 701 feet. Therefore, portions of the subject property are located in the FFRMS floodplain.
According to the ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey prepared by John D. Rebik & Associates dated August 24, 2025, the limit of the on-site 500-year floodplain encompasses an area of bituminous pavement, sections of the wood fence, and electric and telephone utilities service poles.
Since the project triggers substantial improvement as defined in 24 CFR 55.2(b)(12), it is subject to FFRMS elevation requirements and the 8-Step Process. However, according to Mr. Jake Levine, Environmental Specialist with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for critical actions, the larger of the 500-year floodplain and the FVA should be utilized for elevation. For this project, due to the fact that there is a nearby Zone A that is constrained by local topography, the Zone A/100-year floodplain would not extend to the project site using the FVA. With the 500-year floodplain mapped on-site, but with the residential structure outside the floodplain, the 8-step is required for substantial improvement, but no minimum elevation requirements apply.
According to 24 CFR 55.20(d)(1) the focus of the floodplain evaluation should be on adverse impacts to lives and property, and on natural and beneficial floodplain values. In their natural state, floodplains are hydrologically important, environmentally sensitive, and ecologically productive areas that perform many natural functions. They contain both cultural and natural resources that are of great value to society. Flood waters can carry nutrient-rich sediments which contribute to a fertile environment for vegetation, and floodplains are beneficial for wildlife by creating a variety of habitats for fish and other animals. In addition, floodplains are important because of storage and conveyance, protection of water quality, and recharge of groundwater. Due to the fact that the subject property is already developed, there are limited natural attributes to the floodplain located on the subject property, as the on-site areas within the FFRMS floodplain consist of an area of bituminous pavement, sections of the wood fence, and electric and telephone utility lines. There is no proposed work in this area. As such, there is limited risk to lives and property associated with the proposed action.
There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in floodplain and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites outside of the floodplain, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate project impacts on the [floodplain/wetland]. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplain can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplain, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.
Written comments must be received by HUD at the following address on or before December 28, 2025 [a minimum 15 calendar day comment period will begin the day after the publication and end on the 16th day after the publication]. A full description of the project may also be reviewed during office hours, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM â€" 4:00 PM at this address: Patriot Plaza III, 355 E St SW, 8th Floor â€" Desk 8-H197, Washington, DC 20024. Attention: Lillian Mano, Program Environmental Specialist. Comments may also be submitted via email at Lillian.M.Mano@hud.gov.
Date: December 12, 2025
Published in Daily Herald Dec. 12, 2025 (315721), posted 12/12/2025
Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed
Activity in a Federal Flood Risk Management
Standard Designated Floodplain
To: All interested Agencies, including Federal, State, and Local, Groups and Individuals
This is to give notice that the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under 24 CFR Part 50 has determined that the following proposed action under HUD Section 232 of the National Housing Act, FHA #071-43310 is located in the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain, and HUD will be identifying and evaluating practicable alternatives to locating the action within the floodplain and the potential impacts on the floodplain from the proposed action, as required by Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands. The proposed project location is located at 10 North Washington Street in Hinsdale, Dupage County, Illinois. The extent of the FFRMS floodplain was determined using a 0.2 percent flood approach and freeboard value approach.
The proposed action under consideration for mortgage insurance, which is known as Magnolia Senior Living, consists of one (1) three-story assisted living facility (ALF) and memory care facility (MCF) with a full basement constructed in 1976 and rehabilitated in 2013. The ALF/MCF is licensed for seventy (70) beds located within sixty-one (61) resident rooms and is situated on 1.1356 acres of land. Located within the ALF/MCF are common areas, a facility kitchen, laundry facilities, a fitness center (currently out of commission), a kitchenette, a salon, a maintenance shop/building engineer office, and mechanical areas. Exterior property improvements include a courtyard, a storage shed, tuck-under parking, landscaped regions, and asphalt parking areas. The Sponsor is submitting this project under the HUD LEAN Section 232 Program, consisting of the substantial rehabilitation of the existing facility and conversion from an ALF/MCF to an ALF only, which will feature sixty-seven (67) beds located within fifty-six (56) resident rooms.
The subject property is in need of rehabilitation activities to improve the safety, accessibility, and quality of life of the tenants. The facility is currently licensed for twelve (12) memory care units, with insufficient staff to serve the memory care patients. The current design of the facility includes limited common space and two-bedroom units for assisted living, while the overall layout of the memory care area was not well-suited for resident care. As such, the proposed conversion of the existing memory care units to assisted living units will improve the level of comfort and individual care experienced by residents. The memory care space will be converted into two-bedroom assisted living units, and the common areas will be expanded to provide recreational space available for assisted living tenants. There is no increase to the overall building footprint, and proposed exterior repairs consist of remodeling the entryway by adding a seventy-five (75) square foot addition to provide a vestibule to the main entrance of the building; limited landscaping work at the east main entrance near the new vestibule; and roofing replacement.
According to FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) #17043C-0191J, dated August 1, 2019, as confirmed by the Village of Hinsdale ArcGIS and the DuPage County ArcGIS, the majority of the subject property is located within Unshaded Zone X, designated as an area outside the 100 and 500-year floodplain. However, the southwestern portion of the subject property is located within Shaded Zone X, designated as an area within the 500-year floodplain associated with Flagg Creek, a culvert (DPFC). According to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center accessed at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home, there are no preliminary or pending FIRMs for the subject property.
In order to determine the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain for this project, which is a critical action, an evaluation of the FFRMS elevations via the 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Approach (0.2PFA) and the Freeboard Value Approach (FVA) were conducted.
The nearest flooding source, Flagg Creek (DPFC), has an area of ponding, Zone A/100-year floodplain, to the south, which the on-site 500-year floodplain is associated with. Please note that base flood elevations (BFEs) are not provided for approximate Zone A areas.
According to the HUD FFRMS FAQ accessed at https://www.hudexchange.info/faqs/4329/what-if-the-fema-map-shows-a-100-year-floodplain-but-not-its-base-flood/, “What if the FEMA map shows a 100-year floodplain but not its base flood elevation (undetermined A zones)? You could check the elevation of the edge of the 100-year floodplain closest to your project and add 2 feet, or 3 feet for critical actions, to approximate the Freeboard Value Approach (FVA) elevation. This would effectively be using the best available data in your area to determine the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain.â€
Based on elevation calculations using the USGS National Map Viewer accessed at https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/, the Zone A/100-year floodplain elevation was determined to be 693 feet. Under FVA, the FFRMS elevation was calculated at 696 feet, corresponding to the Zone A/100-year floodplain elevation of 693 feet, plus 3 feet of freeboard for this critical action.
It should additionally be noted that based on a review of elevation profile feature within the USGS National Map Viewer, the nearest portion of the subject property to the Zone A/100-year floodplain has an elevation of approximately 686 feet. However, there is a topographic feature as high as 693 feet between the subject property and the Zone A, 100-year floodplain area that would prevent the Zone A floodplain from encroaching to the subject property.
Under 0.2PFA, in order to determine the FFRMS floodplain elevation, D3G reviewed the effective FEMA Flood Insurance Study (FIS) #17043C-V001B and #17043C-V004B dated August 1, 2019. According to the effective FIS Flood Profile for Flagg Creek, the limit of the flood study associated with Flagg Creek (DPFC) is located approximately 1.05 miles to the southwest of the subject property. Therefore, based on the fact that the limits of the 500-year floodplain associated with the section of Flagg Creek (DPFC) closest to the subject property are approximate, D3G utilized elevations accessed via the USGS National Map Viewer as the best available data to determine the elevation of the 500-year floodplain. The FFRMS elevation was determined to be 688 feet.
Under FVA, the FFRMS floodplain elevation would correspond to the most-restrictive 100-year floodplain BFE of 693 feet, plus 3 feet of freeboard, for an elevation of 696 feet.
Based on elevation calculations using the USGS National Map Viewer, the subject property elevation ranges from approximately 687 to 701 feet. Therefore, portions of the subject property are located in the FFRMS floodplain.
According to the ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey prepared by John D. Rebik & Associates dated August 24, 2025, the limit of the on-site 500-year floodplain encompasses an area of bituminous pavement, sections of the wood fence, and electric and telephone utilities service poles.
Since the project triggers substantial improvement as defined in 24 CFR 55.2(b)(12), it is subject to FFRMS elevation requirements and the 8-Step Process. However, according to Mr. Jake Levine, Environmental Specialist with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for critical actions, the larger of the 500-year floodplain and the FVA should be utilized for elevation. For this project, due to the fact that there is a nearby Zone A that is constrained by local topography, the Zone A/100-year floodplain would not extend to the project site using the FVA. With the 500-year floodplain mapped on-site, but with the residential structure outside the floodplain, the 8-step is required for substantial improvement, but no minimum elevation requirements apply.
According to 24 CFR 55.20(d)(1) the focus of the floodplain evaluation should be on adverse impacts to lives and property, and on natural and beneficial floodplain values. In their natural state, floodplains are hydrologically important, environmentally sensitive, and ecologically productive areas that perform many natural functions. They contain both cultural and natural resources that are of great value to society. Flood waters can carry nutrient-rich sediments which contribute to a fertile environment for vegetation, and floodplains are beneficial for wildlife by creating a variety of habitats for fish and other animals. In addition, floodplains are important because of storage and conveyance, protection of water quality, and recharge of groundwater. Due to the fact that the subject property is already developed, there are limited natural attributes to the floodplain located on the subject property, as the on-site areas within the FFRMS floodplain consist of an area of bituminous pavement, sections of the wood fence, and electric and telephone utility lines. There is no proposed work in this area. As such, there is limited risk to lives and property associated with the proposed action.
There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in floodplain and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites outside of the floodplain, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate project impacts on the [floodplain/wetland]. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplain can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplain, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.
Written comments must be received by HUD at the following address on or before December 28, 2025 [a minimum 15 calendar day comment period will begin the day after the publication and end on the 16th day after the publication]. A full description of the project may also be reviewed during office hours, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM â€" 4:00 PM at this address: Patriot Plaza III, 355 E St SW, 8th Floor â€" Desk 8-H197, Washington, DC 20024. Attention: Lillian Mano, Program Environmental Specialist. Comments may also be submitted via email at Lillian.M.Mano@hud.gov.
Date: December 12, 2025
Published in Daily Herald Dec. 12, 2025 (315721), posted 12/12/2025
Posted Online 2 days ago
