After 30 years, Beaufort County finally has new flood maps. So how much will you pay for flood insurance?
The
The maps predict a property's risk of flooding by placing parcels into different zones that carry different flood insurance rates. A homeowner with a property that falls within the high-risk "AE" zone on the new maps could pay an annual premium costing thousands of dollars for a policy that typically covers up to
With the new maps,
The change also does not require Schwartz to keep his flood insurance.
"But of course, I'll keep it," he said.
Hurricane Matthew dumped six inches of water onto the first floor of Schwartz's home on the island's north side last fall, soaking his living room furniture, turning his drywall into a sponge, and warping the particleboard of his kitchen cabinets.
The culprit was later revealed not to be storm surge, but a rain-induced drainage issue, "which can happen anywhere," said
Several homes in the gated community, including Schwartz's, flooded during the
In Matthew's wake, anxiety permeated among residents of
Yet despite the recent string of powerful storms,
Exactly how many residents will benefit and the specific amount of cost savings are unknown, however, as the latest flood maps are only preliminary and face months of formal review.
The last official maps for
Although the new maps likely will offer good news to some property owners' pocketbooks, future hurricanes and rising sea levels aren't factored into the making of the maps -- a point some experts say understates the risks of living in a low-lying coastal community.
"It's a bit puzzling, isn't it?" said
Extreme storms, changes in drainage patterns due to new development, dam failures or clogged drainage systems can strike properties outside of designated flood zones. Experts say these are reasons homeowners should keep their flood insurance policies even though the new flood maps might place their properties in lesser-risk zones.
A recent study by
In
"There is always the possibility of flooding when you live in a region called the Lowcountry," said town of
Here are what the county's preliminary flood maps, still subject to review, currently show:
Across the island, base flood elevations, or the height at which new structures must be built, are typically listed on the current maps at 14 feet, said Mendrick, the town's floodplain manager.
That would drop to 8 or 9 feet with the new maps, which could lead to insurance savings, she said.
The new maps show roughly 15 square miles of properties moving out of the high-risk flood zone, Mendrick said. Most of those homes are centered in the middle of the island, such as the Indigo Run community, which is almost entirely out of the high-risk zone.
Mendrick, however, encouraged all property owners to keep their insurance policies.
"You live on an island," she said. "You should have flood insurance."
-- Base flood elevation for oceanfront homes currently are at 16 or 17 feet. The new maps generally set the elevation at 10 feet. However, a handful of older oceanfront homes, concentrated near North Forest Beach, would move to a special zone for waterfront property and typically associated with higher insurance rates. Mendrick advised those property owners to seek flood insurance before the new maps kick in and rates increase.
-- Along the Port
-- Most Sea Pines homes could see base flood elevation levels of 4 to 5 feet less compared to the current maps.
The town's building code requires that new homes be built 1 foot above the required elevation, though town officials might consider increasing it so that the new maps don't encourage risky construction practices, Mendrick said, adding that any final decisions will depend on how other
In 1986,
One thing that hasn't changed since 1986: the town's flood maps, which show about 5 percent of town land lying in the high-risk flood zone.
Like
-- There are no major zone changes to
-- The few areas that show a shift from the low-risk flood zone into the high-risk zone are in
-- Individual lots within subdivisions might have entered or exited the flood zone, but Spruce declined to release more details. "They will have to be notified one at a time; or when we have the community meetings, we can answer more specific questions for homeowners," he said.
The town's building code requires new homes be built 1 foot above the required elevation.
Base flood elevations are also dropping in
The majority of homes will receive a reduced elevation level, and a small handful of homes would move out of the high-risk zone.
"They're that lucky bunch," Skipper said.
Other areas within city limits show:
-- The current 13-foot elevation level in the West
-- Marshside homes in the
--
--
Base flood elevations would be reduced across the board, said
Bridges said she hasn't found any areas moving from the low-risk flood zone into the high-risk zone, but identified many neighborhoods moving in the opposite direction.
-- Much of the Picket Fences subdivision would move out of the high-risk zone.
-- Some of the Shadow Moss subdivision, north of
Unincorporated
Overall, much of the unincorporated property throughout the county shows a decrease in base flood elevation with the new maps, said county floodplain manger
"That's good," he said. "It means you dramatically already comply."
For example:
-- Some of the Habersham area with a 14-foot elevation level would be set at 9 feet.
-- Some of
-- Some of
"This is all subject to change," Bayyoud said, explaining that the long process before flood maps take effect means property owners should not take too much stock into what the new maps show.
Long wait for final maps
Homeowners should expect at least an 18-month wait for the preliminary maps to take effect and any savings on insurance premiums to kick in, according to floodplain officials.
And that projected timeline would come after
Two dates have been set for late November, Bayyoud said.
Following the public meetings where residents can ask questions, the county and municipalities have 90 days to file appeals, which can delay the process.
That was the case with
Spruce, with the town of
After the appeals period passes,
Only then will any insurance policy changes -- and premium savings -- would take effect, a timeline that puts
For Schwartz, the
"I'm keeping my insurance," he said. "I may save some money, but it's not really going to change my attitude at all. I'm still at risk."
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