| Recommend |
| Comment |
| Email this article |
| Print this article |
| Get news alerts |
| RSS Feeds |
 Share
|
Digg
Mixx
Linked In
Facebook
Twitter
DeliciousSouthampton Town residents living in a flood zone might want to lock in their current flood insurance rates to avoid a possible increase next year. That could happen, according to Town Board member Nancy Graboski, who said the recent release of more accurate maps of the town’s flood zones could result in a spike in flood insurance premiums.
Ms. Graboski explained that as long as home owners file all their paperwork before the Town Board adopts the new maps, which will likely happen next fall, then they might be able to retain their current insurance rates. The new maps are slated to take effect on December 1, 2009, according to Ms. Graboski.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has informed the town that there will be a 90-day public comment period to allow property owners to submit their comments, appeals and protests before the new maps are adopted by the municipality. Copies of the maps have not yet been released, though preliminary versions can now be viewed at suffolknyfloodmaps.com.
The flood hazard maps will designate certain areas as either high, moderate, or low flood risk. With the increased accuracy, new properties could be included in a flood zone while certain areas now in flood zones might be removed. Such changes in designation could result in fluctuating insurance premiums.
In an effort to ensure that all residents and business owners understand the updated maps and how they could be affected by those changes, an open house will be held on Thursday, November 13, from 4 to 8 p.m., at the Southampton Cultural Center at 25 Pond Lane in Southampton. The meeting, which is being co-sponsored by FEMA, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Suffolk County Fire Rescue Emergency Services, will give residents the opportunity to view the maps and to better understand their potential financial implications.
Ms. Graboski said the new maps provide a better lay of the land and are more accurate in predicting what areas are prone to flooding during storms. “They will also show changes in drainage patterns and any land changes, such as recent growth, that may affect flooding,” she said.
Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or DFIRMs, were presented to East End officials last Thursday by federal, state and county representatives. Not only are the new digital FEMA maps much more accurate, according to Ms. Graboski, but they provide a clearer topographical picture of the flood prone areas within the township.
The release of the digital maps marks the first time in several years that a comprehensive re-examination of the flood zones on Long Island has been conducted. Ms. Graboski said the new maps have been in the works since she began serving on the Town Board in 2004. Residents and businesses will now have up-to-date and reliable information about flood risks on a property by property basis, according Ms. Graboski. The new information will also be accessible on the web.
The maps will also provide planners and engineers with the enhanced information needed to better design and build new structures and developments. Ms. Graboski said the new maps are part of a larger effort to modernize the nation’s aging flood maps.
“The modernization of the outdated flood maps addresses a real need,” the councilwoman said. “The new maps were created using advanced techniques and provide much more detailed and reliable data. As a result, both residents and officials have a resource that provides a better picture of those areas that are most likely to be impacted by flooding, as well as a better foundation for making key decisions.”
Southampton Town’s Geographic Information Systems Department is in the process of overlaying the new maps with a detailed grid of town streets. This will allow individual property owners to see exactly where they fall within the new flood zones, Ms. Graboski said.
more
Add a comment