New flood maps issued by FEMA are set to go into effect starting Dec. 20. So what does that mean for you?
According to FEMA officials, in Palm Beach County, 900 properties have gone from high-risk flood zones down to low/medium risk, but about 5,000 properties have gone from low/medium flood risk to high risk.
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High risk means there's a 1-in-4 chance of flooding, medium/low risk means anything less.
Palm Beach County released this interactive map so residents can type in their address and see where they fall in flood risk.
FEMA said any special flood hazard areas are high risk areas that start with A or V. Areas that start with B, C, X or a shaded area are moderate to low risk.
It's a change that's leaving residents like Neika Alexandre in Lake Worth Beach with questions.
"How do you know if you’re in a flood zone? How can you prepare yourself if you are in a flood zone? What if you’re not in a flood zone and then over time it becomes a flood zone?" asked Alexandre.
WPTV's Joel Lopez took those questions to Michael Griffin, the development services supervisor and certified flood plain manager for the City of Boynton Beach.
"So what would be the answer?" asked Lopez.
"The best answer is check the updated flood maps, speak to your insurance provider," said Griffin.
He joined FEMA, insurance and county leaders on Wednesday at an open house for residents to ask questions about the changes.
"The biggest question I saw was, am I going to be affected? If I am, how am I going to be affected?" said Griffin.
He recommends reaching out to your city leaders and to seek out coverage before the new maps go into effect.
"Why is that?" asked Lopez.
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"Once you try and get insurance after the fact, you will have to bring your house up to compliance with the then-current standards and that largely entails bringing your house up in elevation, which is no easy undertaking," said Griffin.
If you're on a property that is split between two different risk zones, FEMA said you can get a survey of your individual property to see which portion of your property your house or structures are located on, and get an elevation certificate to share with your insurance company.
According to FEMA, the change in the maps is due to a 10-year coastal study that is using modern technology to update the maps, as some data the maps were using dates back to the 1970s.
The new technology accounts for tide, elevation and how development may impact flow of water.
The next meeting will be Saturday at Howard Park Community Center in West Palm Beach from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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