Simsbury Property Owners Impacted By New FEMA Flood Maps

Town of Simsbury

SIMSBURY, CT — Proposed new federal flood maps could impact nearly 1,000 properties in town, as the federal government is redefining flood zones in the Simsbury area.

Where a property stands relative to these zones could mean costly flood insurance requirements for property owners, depending on their status on the new maps.

Starting Wednesday, Feb. 28, and lasting through May 28, property owners can appeal their new standing within the flood maps to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

This week, town officials released information about this process to the public to inform them of the situation.

FEMA generates flood maps as a tool for local communities to identify which areas have the highest risk of flooding.

In 2018, FEMA began a "Flood Risk Study" of the Farmington River Watershed, which includes the Town of Simsbury and other Hartford County communities, to update as necessary, the current flood maps.

The study utilized improved hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, new topographic and aerial imagery, and revised modeling.

From this information, new floodplain characteristics were generated and preliminary flood maps were created. They are now available for public review.

If a property is located in or is in proximity to a flood zone, the revised maps are important to review as they may impact that property.

Click here for information and directions on how to access preliminary flood mapping for a property as well as how to contact FEMA with any questions.

Property owners may appeal map revisions to FEMA during the 90-day appeal period.

FEMA has announced that the start of the 90-day appeal period will begin on February 28, 2024 and end on May 28, 2024. Please click here for more information on appeals.

The effective date for the new, finalized maps is tentatively scheduled for November 2025.

The Town of Simsbury has over 1,000 residential and commercial parcels located within the flood zone and federal programs such as this rely on local jurisdictions for citizen outreach.

This webpage will be updated when additional information is received by the Simsbury Planning Department staff.

Anyone with questions or needing help accessing the FEMA information can contact the Simsbury Planning Department at 860-658-3245.

For more information, click on this link.