Planning Director Donna Creef updated the Dare County Board of Commissioners earlier this month on the new on flood maps for the county, expressing concern over many properties being reclassified as lower risk starting in June.
The county’s Planning Board has now scheduled a pair of meetings for next month to provide an opportunity for more in-depth discussions with property owners.
The maps from the State of North Carolina and FEMA serve as the cornerstone for floodplain management, according to the county-maintained website OBXFloodMaps.com.
They are scheduled to be effective on June 19, 2020, and the maps cannot be used for flood insurance rating purposes until they become effective.
Many properties will be re-classified as Shaded X or X zone properties, which are considered low-risk zones, Creef said. The old classifications were set in 2006.
Other properties that remain in a flood zone, such as the AE flood zone, may have a lower base flood elevation.
For example, a property designated AE8 on the 2006 maps may be designated as AE4 on the updated maps.
Flood maps only depict those areas subject to a one percent annual chance of flooding and do not reflect other flooding sources such as heavy rainfall or elevated groundwater levels, the county said.
At the public meetings in February, Creef will provide an overview of the updated maps, discuss concerns associated with them and explain proposed regulations for development in unincorporated Dare County that are being considered.
The first meeting will be held on Monday, February 10 at 5:00 p.m. at the Dare County Board of Commissioners Meeting Room located at 954 Marshall Collins Drive in Manteo. The second meeting will be held on Thursday, February 13 at the Fessenden Center located at 46830 N.C. 12 Highway in Buxton.
