Sawgrass in Venice is in High Risk Flood Zone? (Sarasota: for sale, insurance)

[Macrodome]

Can anyone tell me why the Sawgrass developement seems to be in a high risk flood zone? Every property address I've entered in the National Flood site for houses for sale in Sawgrass comes back that it is in a High Risk Flood zone. Is there something that floods running through the development? I can see some natural rivers/canals (as opposed to the manmade water features on the golf course) but are they prone to that much flooding?

[TamRE]

Sawgrass is in the X500 Flood Zone. Areas of 500-year flood; areas of 100-year flood with average depths of less than 1 foot or with drainage areas less than 1 square mile; and areas protected by levees from 100-year flood. An area inundated by 0.2% annual chance flooding. It does not require flood insurance, but if you are obtaining a mortgage, your lender may require a flood elevation certificate to determine if they will require you to purchase flood insurance. The FloodSmart.gov web site does categorize Sawgrass as a high risk or special flood zone area. Only homes with an X are out of a flood zone.


Flood Insurance – To Buy or Not to Buy

Are you thinking of buying a home in Florida that you think might be in a flood zone? Some people will say you should buy flood insurance no matter where you live in Florida. Others will say you only need flood insurance if you are in a flood zone. If the area you live in or are buying a home in has never been flooded, then it is unlikely that you will need flood insurance.

Did you know that floods can occur even if you don’t live near a river, lake, or ocean? Areas most prone to flooding are barrier and offshore islands, areas near rivers, creeks, or canals, and low areas including those with elevations of less than 10 feet above mean sea level.

If the property you plan to purchase is within a flood zone, you can purchase National Flood Insurance through a property insurance agent. If the property is located in a flood plain, flood insurance is required when you obtain a mortgage. Flood insurance is available on homes, condos, and mobile homes and most enclosed buildings.

Here is the link to FloodSmart.gov. http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/

This will give you information on the National Flood Insurance Program, flooding and flood risks, residential coverage, FAQ’s, flood facts and more.

From the home page, there is a red box where you can type in the address of the property and it will then take you to the property’s flood risk profile. It will tell you whether the home is moderate to low or high risk. It will give an estimated premium amount and it will give you a list of insurance agents serving the area.

Another place to check for flood plains is the local county GIS Flood Maps. Type in the property address and do a flood map search.

Sarasota County - http://gis.scgov.net/

Charlotte County - http://www.ccgis.com/

Lee County - http://leegis.leegov.com/

Manatee County - http://public.co.manatee.fl.us/gishome/jsp/iMaps.jsp

Flood insurance policy rates - http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/residential_coverage/policy_rates.jsp

FEMA Flood Maps - http://www.fema.gov/hazard/map/flood.shtm

Before signing an insurance policy, be sure to read it carefully to make sure you understand the terms and costs and make sure that it is the coverage you need.

[TamRE]

ZONE CLASSIFICATIONS


Zone C, Zone X - Areas determined to be outside 500-year floodplain determined to be outside the
1% and 0.2% annual chance floodplains.
Zone B, Zone X500 - Areas of 500-year flood; areas of 100-year flood with average depths of less than 1
foot or with drainage areas less than 1 square mile; and areas protected by levees
from 100-year flood. An area inundated by 0.2% annual chance flooding.
Zone A - An area inundated by 1% annual chance flooding, for which no BFEs have been
determined.
Zone AE - An area inundated by 1% annual chance flooding, for which BFEs have been
determined.
Zone AH - An area inundated by 1% annual chance flooding (usually an area of ponding),
for which BFEs have been determined; flood depths range from 1 to 3 feet.
Zone AO - An area inundated by 1% annual chance flooding (usually sheet flow on sloping
terrain), for which average depths have been determined; flood depths range from
1 to 3 feet.
Zone AR - .An area inundated by flooding, for which BFEs or average depths have been
determined. This is an area that was previously, and will again, be protected from
the 1% annual chance flood by a Federal flood protection system whose
restoration is Federally funded and underway
Zone A1-A30 - An area inundated by 1% annual chance flooding, for which BFEs have been
determined. .
Area Not
Included
(ANI),(N) - An area that is located within a community or county that is not mapped on any
published FIRM.
Zone D -An area of undetermined but possible flood hazards.
Undescribed
(UNDES) - Area of Undesignated Flood Hazard. A body of open water, such as a pond,lake,
ocean, etc., located within a community's jurisdictional limits, that has no defined
flood hazard.
Zone VE - An area inundated by 1% annual chance flooding with velocity hazard
(wave action); BFEs have been determined.
Zone V(1-30) - Costal flood with velocity hazard
(wave action); BFEs have not been determined.
FWIC - An area where the floodway is contained within the channel banks and the channel
is too narrow to show to scale. An arbitrary channel width of 3 meters is shown.
BFEs are not shown in this area, although they may be reflected on the
corresponding profile. (Floodway Contained in Channel)
100IC - An area where the 1% annual chance flooding is contained within the channel
banks and the channel is too narrow to show to scale. An arbitrary channel width
of 3 meters is shown. BFEs are not shown in this area, although they may be
reflected on the corresponding profile. (1% Annual Chance Flood Discharge
Contained in Channel)
500IC - An area where the 0.2% annual chance flooding is contained within the channel
banks and the channel is too narrow to show to scale. An arbitrary channel width
of 3 meters is shown. ( 2% Annual Chance Flood Discharge Contained in Channel)