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Newly approved 100 year flood plain map
The Vance County Board of Commissioners approved changes to its Flood Plain Ordinance at its regular meeting on April 2.
The amended ordinance will require new construction to be elevated by three feet where there is a 1% chance of flood each year.
This area is also known as the 100 year flood plain, as a flood is statistically likely to occur in these areas once in each one-hundred year period.
According to a presentation by County Planner Ken Krulik, if the County had not adopted the ordinance, it would not be eligible for federal relief funds should there be a federal-level disaster.
Krulik emphasized that while a bank or mortgage company may require flood insurance, the ordinance upon which he was presenting did not.
Specifically, the ordinance requires an additional three feet of elevation inside the flood plain line only, which is defined as the BFE or base flood elevation line. This line represents an elevation of 320 feet. Those properties outside of the line are not included in the ordinance.
Krulik pointed out that if someone is inside the flood plain but his or her property is actually higher than 320 feet, they can apply to the County to obtain documentation stating that the map is inaccurate.
Commissioner Dan Brummitt asked how the ordinance would affect existing structures.
Krulik replied that existing structures are grandfathered and not subject to the ordinance.
Brummitt then asked if properties would be required to have flood insurance upon resale.
The County planner replied that that would be “up to the banks to decide”.
Later in the meeting, County Manager Jerry Ayscue recommended that the Board adopt the ordinance “to avoid missing the deadline”.
Ayscue reminded Commissioners that without the ordinance, FEMA funds would not be available to Vance.
After a discussion of minor changes to the ordinance, it passed without opposition.