Bay County Commissioners review FEMA’s new flooding study

BAY COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – Bay County property owners may soon have to make new accommodations for flooding. County commissioners are going over the latest Federal Emergency Management Agency coastal flooding study.

Based on that study, more areas are now considered prone to flooding. This could mean more people would be required to carry flood insurance and flood insurance rates could be higher.

Also, damaged buildings may have to be rebuilt using more stringent codes and more new structures could be forced to be built on stilts.

“FEMA updated these maps and because we’re part of the FEMA program, the national flood insurance program, we’re required to develop by a court in accordance with these maps,” Bay County Planning Manager Wayne Porter said.

Commissioners are holding a public hearing on the proposed new maps, on Tuesday morning at 9:00 am at the Bay County Government Center. They’ll take their final vote on the new maps on August 16th.

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