INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – County planners are working with federal officials to update flood zone maps in Indian River County, an effort staff members say could lead to fewer people being required to have flood insurance.
“There is some potential that some areas that currently are in flood zones might be moved out,” said Chief Environmental Planner Roland DeBlois. By the same token, some properties that currently are not in the zones, might be moved into it. “There might be some change on some level.” The last time flood zone maps were updated was in the late 1980s, he said. And the maps are difficult to tell where exactly the boundaries of the zones are located.
The new flood maps, being created in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, would be digital, have more detail and could be overlaid on various maps.
“They will be a giant step forward as far as accuracy” of the location of flood zones, DeBlois said.
Commissioners approved staff moving forward with working on updating the maps, though a couple expressed concern about the potential impact on homeowners.
Commissioner Gary Wheeler asked why the maps need to be updated in the first place.
Though staff members explained the new maps would be more detailed and accurate, the maps would also be available digitally on the Internet, accessible by the public. The maps would also replace the large paper maps currently housed at the County Administration complex, not as easily accessible to the public.
“There is some benefits,” staff told commissioners.
Besides which, if the county did not approve the new maps, it would be removed from the National Flood Insurance Program, staff said. If the county does not participate in the program, homeowners could not get flood insurance or federally insured loans.
Staff said the county could hold off on adopting the maps until later, but in the meantime the county would not have access to the flood insurance programs.
Commissioner Wesley Davis said that if the new maps show small areas of change, he would be fine with that. However, if the maps show large-scale changes requiring residents to get flood insurance when before they didn’t need it, he would not be so supportive.
“I don’t want to go down that road,” the commissioner said. “Change is not always good when it makes you buy insurance.”
Wheeler expressed concern based on his own personal experiences. He told his fellow commissioners that he has owned two properties, both of which in flood zones requiring flood insurance. The properties weathered two hurricanes with minimal water lying on the lawns.
“I was in the flood zone,” Wheeler said. “I didn’t need flood insurance.”
County staff expects to have the preliminary maps ready for review in the next few weeks. Public meetings will be held in March or April allowing residents to review the preliminary maps and provide feedback before the maps are finalized.
County officials expect the maps to go into effect late this year or early next year.
The Indian River County Community Development Department has set up a Web page with more information about the mapping project. That site is located at http://www.irccdd.com/FemaMapProject.pdf