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Flood zone maps add thousands of homes

Decades-old maps are being updated. That could force many property owners to buy additional insurance.

By BILL VARIAN
Published October 19, 2005

TAMPA - Think your home or business will be high and dry when the next big storm hits?

Think again.

Hillsborough County officials today will unveil an updated version of official flood maps used by the federal government and lenders to determine if you should have flood insurance.

According to new maps, from 25,000 to 30,000 parcels of property now considered a low- or moderate risk for flooding will be relabeled high-risk. Another 13,000 properties will have the high-risk designation taken off of them.

County planners say the update to maps, in some cases 25 years old, reflect changes brought on by development, nature and erosion. They also reflect experience with flooding, as well as advances in digital mapping that enable more precise charting of flood-prone areas.

Most of changes involve inland property along river basins, near lakes or in low-lying areas. Generally, coastal properties are not included in the revisions.

Planners say the new maps will help property owners prepare for what has proved to be the most costly recurring natural disaster for the county.

"This will allow our residents and businesses to make better decisions as it relates to flood-hazard areas," said Eugene Henry, manager of the hazard mitigation section of the Hillsborough County Planning & Growth Management Department.

Affected property owners also may feel the change in their wallets.

The owner of a typical Hillsborough home in a low-to-moderate risk area pays $300 to $400 "preferred" rate for a flood insurance policy - or nothing, if the owner opts to forego it, Henry said.

If that homeowner lands in a high-risk area, he or she likely will be required to purchase a flood insurance policy if still paying a mortgage, and the premium could double or even triple.

The National Flood Insurance Program, administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, does have a grandfathering provision. It allows property owners bumped into a high-risk zone to apply to keep their "preferred" rate.

(It will be easier to do that before the new maps are finalized next year. After that, a property owner will be required to prove their home is built to code and above likely flood levels.)

Meanwhile, people seeking to build in newly designated high-risk zones will find they face tougher and more costly construction requirements.

For owners of the 13,000 pieces of land that would be removed from the high-risk category, the revisions could mean some savings.

The map changes have been four years in the making. They will be presented to Hillsborough commissioners today and the Tampa City Council on Thursday. From there, the county will hold a series of public meetings before opening the proposed changes to a 90-day public comment period starting Dec. 1.

The revisions are part of a national effort pushed by FEMA and affecting 20,000 communities across the country. Indeed, a federal investigation released Tuesday found that, despite an ongoing push to bring flood-zone maps up to date, 70 percent of them nationwide are still more than 10 years old, rendering them obsolete or unreliable.

Insurers say the updates are welcome.

"Anything that can be done to make sure that people are prepared is an important step," said Lynne McChristian, executive director of corporate communications for insurer USAA. "Preparation is crucial."

Ken Anthony, an agent for State Farm Insurance in Tampa, agreed the updating in Hillsborough is overdue.

"The lay of the land has changed considerably since the maps were last revised," Anthony said.

The reason?

"Growth," he said.

Over the 13 years since the last major revision, Hillsborough County has seen thousands of new homes and strip malls built, usually in areas that were once undeveloped. Each new construction project alters the terrain, channeling rainwater over rooftops, parking lots and driveways, in new directions.

Still, some property owners may not be happy to learn they now live in a high-risk flood zone. They will have the opportunity to appeal their designation if they can provide detailed proof of their claim, such as an elevation study of their property.

The county will notify each affected property owner. Look soon for more information on the county's Web site, which will enable property owners to look up their designation by address. The Web site is www.hillsboroughcounty.org

Information from Cox News Service was used in this report. Bill Varian can be reached at (813) 226-3387.

[Last modified October 19, 2005, 00:50:37]