Osage County Herald-Chronicle | New FEMA maps could change insurance requirements, rates

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Wayne White | Managing Editor

LYNDON—Whether someone thinks their property will flood or not, recently revised flood plain maps could effect rates paid for flood insurance, and will determine if owners can obtain flood insurance or if lenders will require it.

The Osage County Commission and approximately two dozen local government officials, bankers, real estate agents and insurance agents were reminded Monday the revised maps would become effective in February, at which time changes could occur in flood insurance for affected properties.

Julie Grauer, mitigation specialist with Region 7 of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), explained the remapping project was initiated about five years ago after congressional approval. She said that previous maps were outdated, with some up to 30 years old. Once the project was approved, the federal government partnered with the state to revise the maps.

“Our object is to accurately portray your risk of flooding,” Grauer said.

She said the project was nearing completion, with preliminary maps being issued in March, and notification to communities in August that they had six months to adopt the flood plain maps to allow citizens to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As the maps become effective in February, property owners could be affected by changes in flood insurance rates, eligibility for NFIP, and lenders’ flood insurance requirements. About 90 parcels of land were added to the new flood maps, while others were deleted.

The maps designate all areas that are subject to a 100-year flood event.

“Any structure that is in the 100-year flood plain has a one in 100 chance of getting flooded,” Grauer said.

The revision of the maps also had another effect – the flood plain of the entire county is now designated. Previously, unincorporated areas of the county were not mapped, putting those areas in FEMA’s emergency phase, which limited flood insurance coverage to $30,000. Structures in unincorporated areas of the county are now in FEMA’s regular phase.

“Now you can get up to $250,000 (in coverage),” Grauer said. “You can go to any insurance agent and get flood insurance.”

Incorporated areas of the county will also be in the regular phase if those towns adopt the flood plain maps and NFIP by ordinance.

Anyone can purchase flood insurance, but NFIP, in which the governement regulates the rates, is only available in areas that have adopted the program.

Whether or not a property owner is required to have flood insurance is dependent upon the mortgage lender for the property.

“If you don’t have a mortgage, you don’t have required flood insurance,” Grauer said.

“If you have flood insurance, you will have a much better time of recovering from a flood,” she said. “If somebody thinks they can rely on FEMA funds to rebuild their house, they will be sorely disappointed.”

Grauer explained that timing could be important in determining flood insurance rates.

“It’s much better if you get your rate before the flood maps go effective,” she said.

FEMA handouts explain that properties that move from a high-risk area to a lower-risk area may be eligible for reduced insurance rates, while those moved to higher-risk areas can lock in lower-risk rates through grandfathering. For property to be grandfathered, flood insurance must be purchased before the maps are effective and coverage maintained without a lapse.

“We want property owners to be aware to make sure they take advantage of any benefits available before the maps become effective,” Grauer said.

Although the maps have been revised, Grauer and Tom Morey, state NFIP coordinator, said there will be some areas indicated on the maps as flood zones that are not in a flood zone.

“We’ll work with those property owners to get those maps changed,” Morey said. He suggested obtaining a letter of amendment and attaching it to the property’s deed to show the property is not in a flood zone.

The new maps are available in the county land use coordinator Sheila Dale’s office. Dale is also the county’s flood plain manager. Maps will also be available in cities in the county that participate in the program. Eventually, the maps will be available on the Internet through federal, state and county Web sites.

In other business, the commission:

• approved an inter-local agreement between the county and the city of Overbrook, which is seeking a community development block grant (CDBG) for resurfacing Maple Street in Overbrook. Because Maple Street is a county-city connecting link, the agreement pledged $41,000 of county funds toward the improvements, contingent upon the city receiving the CDBG.

• met with Chester Walker regarding his request for a portion of Davis Road to be closed. Commissioners agreed to provide Walker forms to officially request the road closure.

• finalized plans for removal of old, unused radiators in the courthouse offices. The county recently received approval from the Kansas State Historical Society to remove all of the radiators except those in the courthouse hallways, which will be retained for historical aesthetics.

• approved a resolution to establish the county’s emergency preparedness position as the emergency management agency director to meet state requirements. Bryce Romine serves in that position. Commissioners also reappointed Bret Lewis, sheriff’s dispatcher, and Osage County Sheriff Laurie Dunn as alternate emergency management agency directors to serve in case of Romine’s absence.