Between 2012 and 2014 across the nation from Fargo to Tampa, from Lubec to Los Angeles, Chicago to Port Arthur, the issues of increased flood insurance rates and new FEMA flood mapping hit many homeowners like a tsunami.
Property owners were facing crippling cost increases as the federal government’s defunct FEMA programs were tapped out. Then came legislation that would have allowed insurance companies to set rates based on full value.
The fear of policies costing thousands of dollars per year quickly became a reality with the passage of the Biggert-Waters Reform Act of 2012 (BW-12). Real estate sales tumbled for properties situated in flood zones, sending both owners and realtors into a scramble to try and turn back the rising tide in policy increases and number of properties being designated in new flood zones.
The release of new FEMA flood mapping saw flood zones realigned, placing properties heretofore outside that line inside the line. River valleys, coastal neighborhoods, and flood plains all increased in size, bringing more properties into ‘flood zone’ status.
But towns fought back. Hingham recently won against the implementation of new FEMA mapping.
The Town of Hingham website states, “GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc., on behalf of the Town of Hingham, conducted a town-wide analysis of the 2012 FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). The results of the study showed potential floodplain changes along Hingham’s coast. On December 2, 2014 FEMA issued a letter accepting the scientific data included in this study … The next step will be for the FEMA Region I office in Boston to conduct a Physical Map Revision (PMR).”
The study cost the town $50,000. FEMA also announced in January that it will not use the new maps in Plymouth County until sometime in 2016 due to pending appeals.
Where does Mattapoisett stand in this matter? Last year, the selectmen established a Flood Plain Advisory Committee. This group followed the actions being taken by cities and towns, not only in Massachusetts, but across the nation and gave the selectmen some ideas on how to proceed.
In the meantime, Mattapoisett Inspectional Services Director Andy Bobola has been working shoulder to shoulder with Principal Assessor Kathleen Costello for more than a year to ensure that the information provided to property owners is accurate.
Early on it was learned that the new FEMA maps for Mattapoisett could also have a negative impact on some properties. With re-established FEMA elevations and zones moved from low impact to high impact areas, Town Hall saw an uptick in calls but was unable to do much to help.
Mattapoisett’s GIS mapping system is new to the Assessor’s Office, thus to date, they have not overlaid FEMA flood maps to existing assessment maps.
“We don’t want to give out wrong information,” said Costello, “especially for flood zone.” She said that Bobola has been working closely with residents who seek to find out exactly where their property stands.
“We are double-checking all the mapping information, “Costello said.
And time is once again of the essence.
An email from Joe Rossi of the Massachusetts Coastal Coalition forwarded by local realtor Sandra Dawson reads, “…in 2017 both Biggert-Waters and the HFIAA will expire, and the NFIP will be up for re-authorization by Congress. The national coalition directing the grass root reform of the NFIP, The Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance (CSFI), has asked that each part of the country begin developing ideas to reform the NFIP. That is why the Marshfield and Scituate Coastal Coalitions have started the development (of a) project plan to begin organizing the State of Massachusetts and potentially New England in preparation of 2017.”
To learn how Mattapoisett’s Flood Plain Advisory Committee is proceeding, contact Mattapoisett Town Administrator Michael Gagne at mgagne@mattapoisett.net, or call 508-758-4100 ext. 4 to reach the Selectmen’s Office. You may also go to www.fema.gov and/or www.masschusettscoastalcoalition.org to learn what you can do to protect your property and flood insurance coverage.
By Marilou Newell
