NEWBURYPORT — New Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps likely won't deter growth on the waterfront, but they might add to the cost of future projects, city officials say.
"This will not stop development, but it could make things more expensive, because developers will have to raise a structure a few feet," Newburyport Planning Director Andy Port said.
Though not finalized, FEMA's preliminary, updated maps indicate changes in the flood zones in Newburyport.
FEMA personnel initially had estimated the flood plain on parts of the riverfront in Newburyport to be 8 to 10 feet above ground level. That could have meant that future construction would have to start at a height of about 8 feet, meaning extra costs to build an elevated structure.
But the city appealed the first draft of the FEMA report, and a revised version indicates that buildings would have to be about 3 feet off the ground.
Chris Skiba, general manager of developer Stephen Karp's Newburyport Development, which owns a significant amount of land along the Merrimack River, said, "Right now we don't have a plan, but we will comply with any flood maps that are finalized."
City officials say FEMA is in the process of updating its Flood Insurance Rate Maps. The current maps are from 1985. Areas along the Newburyport riverfront, as well as sections of Plum Island, are affected by FEMA's new flood maps, which are slated to take effect in July.
The new maps will mean more of the city's residents and land managers may be required or choose to purchase flood insurance, officials said.
Port said some properties on Plum Island have been placed in "hazard-prone" zones, as well, and owners likely will have to update their existing coverage at higher rates.
"The rates haven't changed, but more people now need flood insurance," said Donald Beaulieu, a selectman in Salisbury who runs an insurance agency in Amesbury. "Also, property owners might now be in a more dangerous zone, which would mean they would have to change their coverage.
"Banks and institutions that hold mortgages will be contacting affected policy owners and letting affected customers know what they have to pay."
A directive from FEMA states, "If it turns out that you are newly mapped into a flood plain, then by federal law, your mortgage lender must require you to carry flood insurance."
City officials are providing information about the changes. According to a message on the municipal website, "Over the years, many of the flood insurance maps have become outdated due to urban growth, changes in river flows and coastlines, and even flood mitigation efforts.
"Accurate flood risk information is essential to inform property owners of changing flood risks and to determine appropriate rates for flood insurance coverage."
City officials say that Newburyport is part of the National Flood Insurance Program, which offers reduced rates on flood insurance.
"When new maps are officially adopted, if your structure is mapped into a high-risk area and you have a mortgage with a federally regulated lender, you will need to purchase flood insurance," the city website reports.
The average cost for a flood insurance policy is around $500 a year. Homeowners may qualify for a Preferred Risk Policy that covers both a structure and its contents for as little as $112 a year. Coverage for renters starts at $39 a year, according to the website.
Property owners are encouraged to talk with their insurance carriers to determine the appropriate level of protection and the money-savings options that are available.
Residents may benefit from the lower-cost "grandfathering" insurance option if they purchase their policies 30 days before the new maps take effect on July 3, according to FEMA officials.
However, Beaulieu said he is telling property owners to respond by June 3.
"It will take time to process paperwork, so property owners interested in the lower rates should take action before June 3," he said.
Beaulieu said it's possible that property owners in the flood plain won't pay more if they take advantage of the grandfather clause in a timely manner.
Gerard Butler: the Good, the Bad and the Cannes
At Least 25 Dead in India Train Collision
Raw Video: Private Rocket Blasts Off
Boy to Rescuers: 'Do You Have a Plan?'
Doctors and Devotees Debate Barefoot Running
Blacks Seek to Find Their Own Missing
Houston Museum Unveils $85 Million Dinosaur Hall
Chicago Police: 90 Arrested in NATO Protests
Ex-Rutgers Student Gets 30 Days in Webcam Case
Obama Sees Inspiration in Joplin Graduates
Raw Video: Man Saved After Niagara Falls Plunge
NATO: Afghan Exit 'Irreversible'
Catholic Groups Sue Over Contraception Mandate
4 Arrested After Man's Beating at Dodger Stadium
Investors Slap Facebook 11 Percent Lower
Raw Video: Dramatic 270-Foot Waterfall Rescue
Fingers Do the Fighting at Wrestling Tourney
