Several Boyle County residents may have to add flood insurance to their list of bills this summer.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued new floodplain maps for Boyle County in 2010, and about 30 houses that were not previously in a floodplain may be included now, Public Works Supervisor Duane Campbell said Tuesday at the Boyle County Fiscal Court meeting.
Every stream in Boyle County has a separate floodplain, and no floodplain in particular expanded more than the others, he said. So the newly included houses are scattered throughout the county.
Any house included in a floodplain that was obtained with a mortgage through a federally regulated or insured lender must have flood insurance, according to FEMA.
“What we’re trying to do is notify homeowners as early as we can,” Campbell said.
County officials began sending out notices Monday to residents who may be affected. But the Fiscal Court has until July 4 to approve the maps.
The notices asked homeowners to contact the Boyle County Road Department or visit the office to examine the new maps and determine if their homes are now in a floodplain.
“These maps are a whole lot more extensive and have a whole lot more detail” than the previous maps issued in 1986, Campbell said.
Homeowners should be able to find their properties and make conclusive decisions about the locations in relation to the floodplains.
If a house is included, Campbell said the owner may be able to acquire flood insurance at a discounted rate before the Fiscal Court approves the maps this spring.
The National Flood Insurance Program’s website says owners of property mapped into a floodplain after Oct. 1, 2008, may be eligible for the lower-cost preferred risk policy for up to two years after the map revisions are approved. Preferred risk policies usually only are available to homes in areas with moderate to low risks of floods.
If the Fiscal Court decides not to approve the maps, Boyle County would forfeit its participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, Judge-Executive Harold McKinney said this morning.
“The overall impact of the maps is that, if we don’t approve them, we don’t have flood insurance,” he said. “We’re not trying to create a hardship, but this is a bigger issue than one or two people.”
McKinney said the county plans to help homeowners who may be affected in any way that it can, and Campbell encouraged anyone with questions to call Boyle County Road Department.
The Fiscal Court will try to approve the floodplain maps in early May, McKinney said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued new floodplain maps for Boyle County in 2010, and about 30 houses that were not previously in a floodplain may be included now, Public Works Supervisor Duane Campbell said Tuesday at the Boyle County Fiscal Court meeting.
Every stream in Boyle County has a separate floodplain, and no floodplain in particular expanded more than the others, he said. So the newly included houses are scattered throughout the county.
Any house included in a floodplain that was obtained with a mortgage through a federally regulated or insured lender must have flood insurance, according to FEMA.
“What we’re trying to do is notify homeowners as early as we can,” Campbell said.
County officials began sending out notices Monday to residents who may be affected. But the Fiscal Court has until July 4 to approve the maps.
The notices asked homeowners to contact the Boyle County Road Department or visit the office to examine the new maps and determine if their homes are now in a floodplain.
“These maps are a whole lot more extensive and have a whole lot more detail” than the previous maps issued in 1986, Campbell said.
Homeowners should be able to find their properties and make conclusive decisions about the locations in relation to the floodplains.
If a house is included, Campbell said the owner may be able to acquire flood insurance at a discounted rate before the Fiscal Court approves the maps this spring.
The National Flood Insurance Program’s website says owners of property mapped into a floodplain after Oct. 1, 2008, may be eligible for the lower-cost preferred risk policy for up to two years after the map revisions are approved. Preferred risk policies usually only are available to homes in areas with moderate to low risks of floods.
If the Fiscal Court decides not to approve the maps, Boyle County would forfeit its participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, Judge-Executive Harold McKinney said this morning.
“The overall impact of the maps is that, if we don’t approve them, we don’t have flood insurance,” he said. “We’re not trying to create a hardship, but this is a bigger issue than one or two people.”
McKinney said the county plans to help homeowners who may be affected in any way that it can, and Campbell encouraged anyone with questions to call Boyle County Road Department.
The Fiscal Court will try to approve the floodplain maps in early May, McKinney said.
