Feds, county officials to meet on Valley FEMA flood maps

Douglas County officials are to meet Tuesday with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in an ongoing dispute over the inclusion of several hundred new parcels in the floodplain.

The county has appealed FEMA's inclusion of the parcels on the east side of Douglas County, but have had no luck getting the federal agency to remap the 4,000 acres.

The county received a letter from federal officials last week that indicated the new maps would be in effect Jan. 20, 2010, appeal or not.

"Even if the appeal is still under way, FEMA can make the maps effective," said Mahmood Azad, Douglas County engineer.

Inclusion in the floodplain means that homeowners must purchase flood insurance for their parcels that can add $800-$900 a year to premiums.

The county is prepared to go to federal court if FEMA won't budge.

In the July 20 letter to county officials, William R. Blanton, chief of the FEMA engineering management branch, said technical data in support of the appeal had been evaluated, "and the appeal has been resolved."

"The letter means they do not have any issues to discuss with us," Azad said. "They're going to adopt the maps."

Azad said he hoped Tuesday's meeting would be amiable, but "they can get sideways very quickly."

"What we're going to be saying is, 'Look, we all have to work on this together.'

"What FEMA has produced isn't so bad that we have to throw away the whole thing. If we work on this together, we can produce a much more accurate map," Azad said. "If we had started out partnering, the maps would be much more accurate."

While the county sorts out the maps with FEMA, Azad urged residents to come in to the Community Development Department in the Minden Inn and find out now whether their property is in the flood plain.

By purchasing flood insurance before the maps go into effect, residents can save money.

"Even though the county is appealing, it's a good idea to get yourself grandfathered into the insurance process. We don't want the citizens to get caught between us and FEMA," Azad said.

The maps will be available on the second floor of the Minden Inn beginning Monday. Residents will be able to determine if they'll need flood insurance when the maps take effect in January.

Eventually the maps will be available online, but Azad said residents can get a more accurate reading by coming into the community development department.

"There isn't sufficient resolution and detail (online) to really figure out where you are," he said. "It's a broad brush."

Azad said improved maps will be available online by October.

"We're not quite there yet, but people can come in now," he said.

Azad made a "wild guess" that 500 of the parcels are newly added to the flood plain map.

"People need to know it's essential to start thinking about being grandfathered in on the insurance because it will, in the long run, reduce their rates," he said.

Public workshops are to be scheduled in October with FEMA officials to go over the revisions.