Results Will Help Homeowners Determine Flood Risk; Event to Include Open House on Online Digital Floodplain Maps
PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. (Oct. 6, 2011)—The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners and the Calvert County Planning Commission will hold a joint public hearing on proposed changes to the county’s floodplain regulations and floodplain maps on Tuesday, Oct. 18, after 7 p.m. in the Planning Commission Hearing Room, 205 Main Street, Prince Frederick.
Prior to the public hearing, representatives from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the State Coordinating Office of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will hold an open house from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. to provide assistance to the public on the use of new online floodplain maps. They will also be able to locate individual properties on the revised maps and answer questions about the NFIP. The preliminary maps may be viewed online at
www.co.cal.md.us/assets/Planning_Zoning/Environmental/FloodPlain/DraftFloodPlainMaps.pdf or
www.mdfloodmaps.com.
The adoption of the new floodplain regulations and floodplain maps will ensure the county remains eligible for the NFIP. The floodplain planning program is part of a national effort to assess the flood risks faced by communities and to provide government officials and homeowners with information vital to planning, permitting and insurance coverage. Proposed revisions to Calvert County floodplain regulations are available at
www.co.cal.md.us/government/departments/planning/floodplain.asp.
The floodplain planning process takes into consideration factors such as river flow, storm tides, rainfall and coastal storm surge. FEMA produced new floodplain maps for Calvert County using this data along with information gathered from local site visits. Residents may use the preliminary floodplain maps to investigate their flood risk status and determine whether to make modifications to flood insurance coverage. The maps will become effective on Dec. 16, 2011. For locations that require flood insurance, buying it now or revisiting current policies is advantageous. The NFIP Grandfather Rule allows citizens in certain circumstances to save money when they obtain a flood insurance policy before the new maps take effect.
For more information or to reserve a spot at the open house, please call 410-535-1600, ext. 2356.