The City of Portland intends to revise the Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) and Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries on some coastal properties along the Atlantic Ocean.
The City commissioned a new coastal flood hazard analysis and has sent the Federal Emergency Management Agency a letter of map revision.
The new coastal flood hazard analysis includes parts of the city on Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panels No. 23005C0712F, 23005C0713F, 23005C0714F, 23005C0716F, 23005C0718F, and 23005C0728.
The revision updates the flood maps for the community and makes them more scientifically and technically accurate for planning and mitigation.
According to FEMA, Special Flood Hazard Areas are high-risk areas that have a 1 in 4 chance of flooding during a 30 year period. They are marked on flood maps as zones beginning with the letters A or V.
All home and business owners in high-risk areas with mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders are required to buy flood insurance.
The preliminary 2017 maps and existing 1986 maps can be viewed online on the City of Portland's Flood Map Viewer here.
Paper versions of the flood maps may also be found in the Permitting and Inspections Department at Portland City Hall.
For questions about the revision or its effect on your property, contact Zoning Administrator Ann Machado at 207-874-8709 or amachado@portlandmaine.gov.
