Special to the News-Sun
SEBRING - After months of collaboration and the regular sharing of information resulting in preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps, officials with the incorporated and unincorporated municipalities in Highlands County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are asking the public to participate in a comment and appeal period.
Flood maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding by the one-percent-annual-chance-flood, also known as the base flood, and are used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements. Property owners -- both homeowners and business owners -- renters, realtors, mortgage lenders, and insurance agents in Highlands County are encouraged to view the preliminary maps. Those with comments or who would like to file an appeal have until May 2 to do so.
An appeal is a formal objection to proposed base flood elevations or flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries and zones, or floodways. Appeals must be based on technical data that show proposed maps to be scientifically or technically incorrect. Anyone who makes an appeal must include the method, data and analysis used to support the claim. A comment is an objection to a base map feature change or any other non-appealable change such as correcting the spelling of a street name.
Residents may call their local floodplain administrator with questions about where their property is located on the preliminary maps, or visit their local county or city government office to view the maps in person. Comments and appeals should be sent to a local official, usually a floodplain administrator or building official, who will send them to FEMA. Contact your respective municipality; or if you reside in the unincorporated area of Highlands County, contact the County Planning Department to find out who should receive the comments and appeals.
Once all comments and appeals are resolved, FEMA will notify Highlands County of the effective date of the final maps that will be used for local regulatory and insurance rating purposes.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013 - www.newssun.com/022713-flood-map-comments