Flood Zone Determinations
The information on this page is meant to serve as a resource for determining if your property or home is inside a flood zone, what that means, and what you can do. Flood zones are based on both scientific and community-provided data that help identify areas with potential for storm and flood events that could put lives and property in danger. For information specific to your situation, please contact Teri Camery, Senior Planner, at [email protected] or 586-0755.
Why would I want to know whether I’m in a flood zone?
- To assess risk to personal property and life safety
- To assess insurance requirements
These two considerations will inform decisions made by owners and purchasers of property, and could inform the best placement of a home on a vacant lot, and details around construction.
Is my home in or out of a flood zone?
FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center is an excellent resource for determining your flood risk. Please visit their website and enter your address to view a current flood map of your property.
I’m in a Flood Zone and my insurance is expensive – Do I have options?
In some cases, a property owner may submit a Letter of Map Change through FEMA. This is where FEMA reviews a request to revise or amend their maps based on more detailed information provided at the municipal level. There are three different letters that FEMA will accept: a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA), a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR), or a Letter of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F). Depending on the complexity of your situation, this process could take between 2 to 12 months.
If you think your property has been inadvertently added to a high risk flood zone, or you are engineering or placing your home in a way that mitigates flood risk, this process may be right for you.
For more information, visit FEMA’s Letter of Map Changes webpage. If you are interested pursuing this path, we are happy to assist. Please contact [email protected] with your request.
Flood Map Updates
The CBJ has adopted new flood maps, effective September 18, 2020. Visit our Flood Map Revision webpage for more information.
Resources
CBJ Flood Hazard Area Ordinances
FEMA Flood Map Service Center
FEMA Letter of Map Changes