Leesburg Amends Floodplain Ordinances

From the Town of Leesburg: On Tuesday, February 14, 2017, the Leesburg Town Council approved a series of amendments to Town regulations and ordinances in response to changes made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the floodplain maps. These amendments were necessary for the Town to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program.

FEMA last updated the floodplain maps in 2001. The 2001 updates were based, in part, on projected development. Now that much of the projected development has occurred and the actual effects on the floodplain can be documented, in many places the new maps have reduced the extent of the flood zones.

According to William Ackman, Leesburg’s director of plan review, Plan Review, about 200 parcels within the Town were removed from the high-risk “major” flood zone (areas that drain over 640 acres) and an additional 100 parcels were removed from the moderate-risk “minor” flood zone (areas that drain between 100 and 640 acres). Based on the new maps, less than 60 existing structures are located in flood zones, down from 265 on the 2001 maps.

“The good news for these property owners is that they may no longer be required by their lenders to have flood insurance,” said Ackman.

Town officials are encouraging all Leesburg property owners who currently have flood insurance to contact their lenders or insurance companies to determine if they still are required to carry flood insurance. A few properties were added to the floodplain. All of those property owners received letters from the Town informing them of the change.

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