Residents urged to check new flood maps

BY LINDSAY J. JONES

March 28, 2008 05:40 pm

— PLAINFIELD — New flood plane maps have been released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the first update to the county’s potential flooding areas since 1979.
Plainfield Town Engineer Tim Belcher said the updated maps have been created using aerial photography, which allows for a more accurate mapping system. However, he said some residents who were not in the flood plane before may be now, and vice versa.
The maps will likely become finalized and published at the end of the year, but homeowners who disagree with the status of their home or property on the new maps must appeal to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources by April 10.
“It makes sense to do an update because it’s been so long,” Belcher said. “The accuracy is much higher than the previous mapping. It identifies the 1 percent flood area, the flood that has a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year.”
The new mapping will essentially affect residents in regard to their insurance policies. Mortgage companies are responsible for requiring homeowners to have flood insurance if their home lies in a flood plane area. Therefore, homes that are shown to be in a flood area on the new maps that have a mortgage will be required to obtain a policy. Those who do not have a mortgage will not, but when a homeowner sells their property, the new owner would have to purchase flood insurance.
“It really gets down to when someone’s home or property is identified as a risk,” he said. “The newest part of the program is that they’re going to rate the risk on each home specifically rather than rating all homes in a zone the same.”
Residents who wish to view FEMA’s new maps may do so by going to the DNR website at www.in.gov/dnr/water and clicking on the “Community Assistance and Information” link.
Maps are also available at the Plainfield Municipal Building, 206 W. Main St.
Belcher said after identifying whether their home is in a flood plane on the new maps, homeowners should contact their insurance companies to discuss options as soon as possible, as the rates may be much higher after the maps become official.
lindsay.jones@flyergroup.com