Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed Activity in a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Designated Floodplain

Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed Activity in a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Designated Floodplain To: All interested Agencies including all Federal, State, and Local, Groups and Individuals This is to give notice that the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) under 24 CFR Part 50 has determined that the following proposed action under the HUD MAP 221 (d)(4) program, FHA #066-35405, 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 action will be known as Palmera, which is to be located at Radio Road and Radio Lane in Naples, Collier County, Florida 34104 (subject property). The FHA collateral consists of approximately 7.19 acres of undeveloped and wooded land. It should be additionally noted that the southern tract of land associated with aggregated off-collateral ingress/egress, frontage improvements, grading, and utilities are located within this 8-Step Process due to HUD's aggregation requirements. The proposed action, which will be known as Palmera (FHA #066-35405), is under consideration for mortgage insurance under the Section 221(d)(4) Program for the new construction of one (1) four-story, 117-unit multi-family apartment complex. According to FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) #12021C-0412J and #12021C-0414J, both dated February 8, 2024, and as confirmed via the Collier County 2024 Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) accessed at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/70ae02cb985c4d288556ba5d00629fc7, the subject property is located in Unshaded Zone X, designated as an area outside of the 100-year and 500-year floodplain; Shaded Zone X, designated as an area within the 500-year floodplain; and Zone AH, designated as an area within the 100-year floodplain associated with combined riverine and coastal floodplain associated with the Golden Gate Main Canal and the Gulf of Mexico. The Zone AH 100-year floodplain is listed with a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) of 11 feet. According to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center accessed at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home, there is a preliminary FIRM for the subject property. According to Preliminary FIRM #12021C-0414K, with a revised preliminary date of March 20, 2025, the 100-year floodplain is expanded to encompass the entirety of the southern half of the subject property. The subject property will be located within Unshaded Zone X, designated as an area outside of the 100-year and 500-year floodplain; Shaded Zone X, designated as an area within the 500-year floodplain; and Zone AE and Zone AH, designated as areas within the 100-year floodplain associated with combined riverine and coastal floodplain associated with the Golden Gate Main Canal and the Gulf of Mexico. The preliminary Zone AE and Zone AH 100-year floodplain is listed with a BFE of 11 feet. Based on the fact that FEMA has further developed the 100-year floodplain associated with combined riverine and coastal floodplain, the preliminary floodplain for the southern portion of the subject property is considered the best available data and was referenced in defining the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain, in addition to the effective FIRM for the northern portion of the subject property. With the 500-year floodplain mapped/defined, that is the extent of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain for this project under the 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Approach (0.2PFA). According to the HUD FFRMS FAQ accessed at https://www.hudexchange.info/faqs/4351/how-should-i-apply-the-ffrms-elevation-requirements-in-a-coastal-floodplain/, "How should I apply the FFRMS elevation requirements in a coastal floodplain area? For both non-critical and critical actions, use the Freeboard Value Approach (FVA) to define the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain in A zones and V zones in coastal floodplain areas. The 0.2% Stillwater Elevation (SWEL) should only be used in coastal floodplain areas marked as: Zone X, shaded as "0.2 percent annual chance flood hazard," on digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs); or Zone B as "areas between limits of 100-year flood and 500-year flood" on older FIRMs." Therefore, the FFRMS floodplain elevation related to the on-site Zone AH/100-year floodplain for the northern portion of the subject property per the effective FIRM was determined to be 13 feet via FVA, corresponding to the BFE of 11 feet, plus 2 feet of freeboard. The FFRMS floodplain elevation related to the on-site Zone AE and Zone AH/100-year floodplain for the southern portion of the subject property per the preliminary FIRM was also determined to be 13 feet via FVA, corresponding to the BFE of 11 feet, plus 2 feet of freeboard. The FFRMS floodplain elevation related to the on-site Shaded Zone X/0.2% annual chance flood hazard was determined via the 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Approach (0.2PFA). According to FEMA Flood Insurance Study (FIS) #12012C-V001C dated February 8, 2024, and as confirmed to be unchanged per the preliminary FIS #12012C-V001D with a revised preliminary date of March 20, 2025, the worst-case, relevant 500-year floodplain SWEL for the applicable Coastal Transects (Transects 58-60) is 13.4 feet. According to spot elevations obtained utilizing the USGS National Map Viewer accessed at https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/, the subject property elevations range from 9.31 feet to 12.77 feet, below the FFRMS floodplain elevation of 13.4 feet. Therefore, the project is located within the FFRMS floodplain. Approximately 6.93 acres of FFRMS floodplain will be impacted by the proposed undertaking, not including the 0.26-acre preserve area on the northern portion of the FHA collateral. Additional off-site areas along the existing developed roadways and right-of-way to the south and southeast containing FFRMS floodplain will also be impacted. The floodplain under consideration is currently not known to have any archaeological, historic, or recreational value of public interest. There are three (3) primary purposes for this notice: 1. People who may be affected by activities in the floodplain area 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 this area. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites outside of the floodplain area, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate impacts. 2. An adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplains can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. 3. As a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplains, 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 March 23, 2026 [a minimum 15 calendar day comment period will begin the day after the publication and end on the 16th day after the publication]: HUD, 400 W Bay Street, Suite 1015, Jacksonville, Florida 32202, Attention: Mark Malec, Branch Chief, Technical Team. Mark Malec's direct phone number is (904) 208-6054 and email is Mark.E.Malec@hud.gov. A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 8am to 5pm at the same address as above. Comments may also be submitted via email at FL_Webmanager@hud.gov. Jonathan Mosley, acting in his capacity as Production Division Director of the HUD Multifamily Southeast Regional Center, is the HUD Approving Official. March 7 2026 LSAR0473116