Bill drops federal flood insurance cost for some

Jan. 21--BAY COUNTY -- Hundreds of Bay County homeowners can now buy cheaper federal flood insurance because of a bill recently signed into law.

The bill, signed by President Donald Trump, corrects maps that erroneously kept some Bay County areas from accessing relatively low-cost federal flood insurance. With the changes, potentially hundreds of people can get cheaper insurance, in some cases saving as much as $50,000 annually, a Bay County press release states.

"Several hundred homes have not been able to purchase this flood insurance," said Philip Griffitts, chairman of the Bay County Commission, who testified in Washington D.C. last year on why the map changes were needed. "It's a complicated issue that I'm glad has been rectified."

Sponsored by Rep. Neal Dunn, the bipartisan bill specifically corrects maps created by the Coastal Barrier Resources Act. The act was signed into law decades ago to discourage federal spending that would enable development of barrier islands and environmentally sensitive areas. However, the old maps accidentally excluded several neighborhoods that were already developed.

"It's been going on for years," Griffitts said of efforts to fix the map errors. "It's gotten major attention the last eight years."

According to county records, the areas now eligible for cheaper federal flood insurance start at 5323 North Lagoon Drive -- formerly the Boatyard/Grand Marlin Restaurant -- then move east and include all of the Martinique and Finisterre subdivisions, as well as approximately 21 properties in the Bay Point area along Swordfish Drive, Wahoo Road and Jan Cooley Drive. Also included are all Pinnacle Port structures and approximately 21 properties within the Carillon Beach subdivision along Parkshore Drive, Parkshore Court and Cottage Court.

The National Flood Insurance Program has already provided millions of dollars in relief to residents in the county since Hurricane Michael.

According to figures from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the flood insurance program has received 2,073 claims and paid about $92.2 million to policyholders in the county since the hurricane.

"Now, more than ever, in the wake of one of the most devastating hurricanes in American history, a lack of access to federal resources is particularly debilitating for residents in coastal communities across the Florida panhandle," Dunn said when the bill was being considered in the U.S. House. "This means no flood insurance, FEMA assistance, or SBA loans. I'm grateful that this bill will provide a remedy for some folks who are dealing with these unnecessary burdens."

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