Several southern Maine communities are banding together to challenge new flood zone maps issued by the federal government.
Jon Carter is town manager in Wells. He says there are more than 800 local properties within the existing flood zone, while new maps the Federal emergency Management Agency issued this spring would capture some 60 more properties. He says some of those he believes should not be included at all. And that FEMA’s new modeling overstates the overall likelihood of flooding in the expanded zone. Result: property owners there will pay higher insurance premiums.
“But you also have the requirement of raising your homes if you make any modifications,” Carter says. “Any substantial modifications to them. So you would raise your houses. That’s where the building costs are.”
Wells, Kittery, Kennebunkport, Old Orchard Beach and Harpwswell are jointly funding an independent engineering consultant’s $220,000 study of their flood zones. FEMA will hold a public hearing on the issue next week in Kennebunkport.