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Where can I find a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or
Flood Insurance Study(FIS)? |
You can find a Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and Flood Insurance
Studies online
FEMA Map Service Center
or paper versions are also available at each of the
following locations:
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Selby Public Library on shelf, Call No. 363.3493022 FLO
and other county libraries
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Sarasota County Government Planning and
Development Services
1301 Cattlemen Road
Sarasota, FL 34234
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Sarasota County Government R. L. Anderson
Building
4000 S. Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34293
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Sarasota
County Government Environmental Services Water
Resources
1001 Sarasota Center Blvd.
Sarasota,
FL 34240
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How can I tell what flood zone I am
in? |
Everyone is in a flood zone, however, if in a high
hazard are on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps,
you must follow federal regulations, which may
require the mandatory purchase of federal flood
insurance.
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The Emergency
Services Map Web site "What's My Zone", shows my
property as a C zone,
isn't that the same thing as a FEMA flood zone? |
No. The Emergency Services Web site illustrates
storm surge zones only, NOT FEMA-designated
flood zones as depicted on Flood Insurance Rate Maps
(FIRMs). These are two totally different
references.
The storm surge zones are Zone A for a Category 1
Hurricane, Zone B for a Category 2 Hurricane; Zone C
for a Category 3 Hurricane and Zone D for both a
Category 4 and 5 Hurricane. While FEMA Flood Zones
have federal, state and local regulations
implications and are used to determine your flood
insurance risks and premiums.
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What is a
Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)? |
The intention of the federal regulations (44 CFR)
and maps (FIRMS) was to furnish those local
communities who wanted to both protect the residents
from harm but still choose to develop a high risk
flood area, was that they needed to be insured and
wisely develop the land and/or build to a higher
standard for flood protection. Sarasota County,
SWFWMD and FEMA all used the one percent chance in
any given year flood event. We call that our Level
of Service a/k/a the 100 year flood event which is
equivalent to 10 inches of rainfall in 24 hours in
our area.
In Sarasota County those 10-30 year old paper Flood
Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) show these high hazard
areas that depict the one percent chance of flooding
in any given year (sometimes called the 100 year
base flood event). You may be familiar with terms
such as A, A1-30, AE zones or V, V1-V30, VE zones
these denote inland and coastal flood areas.
Our FIRMs have experienced many delays in producing
a new Digital FIRM map. In the meantime, we have
imposed higher regulations on the newly studied and
adopted high risk flood areas but until the federal
government adopts them which now may be late 2011,
the mandatory regulations are not imposed.
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Where do I
find information on a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA), Letter of
Map Amendment (LOMA-F)? |
FEMA: Letter of Map
Amendment (LOMA) and Letter of Map Revision-Based on
Fill (LOMR-F) Process
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Who is the
Sarasota county contact for assistance with LOMA, LOMA-F, CLOMA?
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Martin Duran, CFM, NFIP
Specialist Planning and
Development Services.
Contact the
Call Center at 941-861-5000.
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The map shows
that my lot is in the mapped floodplain, but the ground my house
is on is higher. I believe I shouldn't be shown in the
floodplain. What are FEMA's requirements to remove land or a
building from the 1 percent annual chance flood hazard area? |
To be removed the floodplain shown on the Flood
Insurance Rate Map, a structure must be on land that
is not subject to flooding by the 1 percent annual
chance flood.
Remember, more severe floods can and do happen, so
even if your home is found to be on high ground, it
may still be damaged by an extreme flood event.
If your lot or building site is on natural ground
that is higher than the Base Flood Elevation shown
on the FIRM, then you may request a Letter of Map
Amendment (LOMA). To support your request, you will
have to get a surveyor to determine the elevation of
the ground next to your building and complete an
Elevation Certificate.
If the ground is higher than the Base Flood
Elevation, then FEMA will issue a LOMA. With a LOMA,
your lender may choose to not require flood
insurance. If your home was built on fill that was
placed after the FIRM was prepared, you may request
a Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F). As
with a LOMA, you will need to get an Elevation
Certificate completed by a land surveyor.
If the filled ground is higher than the Base Flood
Elevation, and if you do not have a basement, then
FEMA may issue a LOMR-F, and your lender may choose
to not require flood insurance.
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My
insurance agent and my mortgage company do not agree on my flood
zone. What should I do? |
Both insurance and lender professionals normally use
subcontractors who specialize in providing this
service or you can request that Sarasota County make
a Flood Zone Determination by calling
941-861-5000.
Beginning in January 2008 there will
be a fee associated with this request.
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Can I
get a good flood insurance rate on a building in an AE Zone that
is flood proofed to the base flood elevation?
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Probably not. Unless the building is flood proofed
to at least one foot above the BFE, the rate will be
best on the elevation of the lowest floor. If the
lowest floor is two or more feet below the BFE, it
will be a submit to rate.
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What's
the best way to get a good flood insurance rate for
a new building in an approximate A Zone? |
Obtain or develop a base flood elevation for the
site and require the building to be elevated above
it.
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What is map
modernization? |
In order to assist t
Sarasota County,
with better flood risk assessment for our residents
became a Cooperative Technical Partner with the
Southwest Florida Water Management District and FEMA
in 2001 to accept federal grant assistance to
accomplish the following:
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Digitize the current paper flood maps most
recently updated in 1992.
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Input up-to-date scientific data from more
current Flood Study Updates for our 28 watershed
basins.
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While waiting for federal adoption process to
begin, the county will adopt, use and share the
most recent flood study data to review of new
development so as to "not adversely impact
flooding risks to others".
How long will this process take?
Longer than originally anticipated.
Starting in
October 2007, technical experts from
Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD),
the county, the cities of North Port, Sarasota,
Venice and Town of Longboat Key began reviewing the scientific data collected
so far. The State of Florida contracted to fly our
coastline and capture and produce scientific
data in in 2004 and again in 2007. As of Oct.
16, 2007, the county had not received the 2007
data to begin a comparison of data.
For more information on the map modernization
program and timelines click here:
FEMA: Map Modernization.
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