Anyone have experience with redrawn FEMA flood maps?

[ringwise]

Originally Posted by christiner81

We bought our house 2 years ago. It backs up to a farm/wetlands area. It rained a lot earlier this year, and roads in town were under water/closed, yet the water didn't even touch our property line, which is at least 10-15 feet below the level of our house.

A few weeks ago, we got a letter saying that FEMA was re-doing the maps along our neighborhood area and there would be a meeting in another city. I wasn't able to attend. The letter was vague, but it seems like they are trying to re-zone us as being in a flood plain and requiring flood insurance, which is ridiculous and wrong. This same thing happened in the next town over a few years ago and it seemed like a very expensive and difficult fight for homeowners to take on to prove what they already knew.

I am listing my house for sale next month because we are moving out of state for a job change. The FEMA map thing, as far as I know, is pending - not final yet. My neighbor said we'd have to disclose that, but I don't even really know what is happening because the letter definitely didn't say anything for sure. Has anyone dealt with this? Do you have any advice?

Welcome to FEMA Extortion. We fell under their scam, and it costs us every month. Not much you can do when the agency that gets the money also draws the maps that requires you to pay them money, with the backing of the government behind them.

Our city actually fought them, but naturally it came to nothing. FEMA isn't going to give up their golden goose that easily. Didn't matter that this area hasn't seen a flood in over 100 years. They need MORE MONEY, so they have to do something to fund their bloated salaries.

[sware2cod]

You wouldn't be able to get a new LOMC until the new FEMA maps are adoped. Usually that's t least 12 - 24+ months from the time they give the community first look at the proposed maps. There is a period of time for community review and revisions and then a waiting period.

If you can get a link on the FEMA web site to your town's new proposed maps, there should be future dates associated with it. this will give you an idea how far into the future they are expecting to the official maps to take place. These dates sometimes are changed and delayed by several months.

As long as your current map is officially in-place, this is the FEMA map that all property insurance will use(until the date the new maps are adopted which in your case is likely 12-18 months away).

Note that you likely can find your actual lot on the new map but it will take some zoom in/out to identify the map key to see what zone/elevation your property gets. It's also possible the back portion of your LOT might be in a flood zone but the loctation of your HOUSE isn't in that portion of the lot. In this case you don't need flood insurance. My bet is this is why you got a LOMC for your current home - because the house itself isn't in a flood zone even though maybe a far back portion of your lot is.

[cully]

So it looks like your map was available at an open house with discussion March 17. Did you go? There is also a phone number and email address of the city engineer.

There's actually a picture of the flood map with the affected areas in colors so you can check if you are near those. It is a small map but you can copy and paste to another page and then enlarge.

From the map it looks like if you're in the middle of Forest Grove you shouldn't have problems. The creeks are north, south and south east it looks like and those are the areas marked as Affected Areas.

FEMA Flood Insurance Maps | Latest News | City of Forest Grove, Oregon

What are your thoughts?