Corolla Flood Zones Likely Reduced

Corolla Flood Zones are being reduced, thanks to a new remapping scheduled to be approved later this year. New maps would change the number of houses in the V flood zone from 1,097 to just 126.  The V zone, as designated by FEMA, is a coastal area with a 1% chance or greater of flooding and have the additional requirement of being able to withstand the ocean waves.  Many oceanfront homes currently fall under this rating.  The number of houses in the flood zone AE, which is still the 1% flood chance without wave action, would also be reduced. The maps only account for previous floods, they do not take into account sea level rise.

“It’s pretty safe to say most of our oceanfront homes are out of a flood zone,” said Currituck County planner Jason Litteral.

The last maps were based off data from the 1980’s.  The new maps were made with more accurate methods of taking detailed elevation readings. Much of the flood zone reduction may be attributed to the significant vegetated protective dune structure in communities like Pine Island.  Other communities that would benefit from the new maps include Buck Island, Corolla Light, Spindrift, Ocean Sands, Ocean Hill, Whalehead Club and Villages at Ocean Hill.

Flood zones limit the height of the ground floor for structures.  Flood zone “V” homes must have their bottom floor at 12 feet above sealevel (13 ft for Currituck County). “A” flood zones normally are at least 4 feet above sea level.

County administrators and homeowners alike are hopefully optimistic that these new more detailed maps will provide some flood insurance premium relief if they are passed by the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program.

Search by clicking here now for Oceanfront Homes in Corolla.

Information provided by: Hampton, Jeff. “Currituck Oceanfront Homeowners Happy, Surprised When Flood Zones Reduced.“ PilotOnline.com. The Virginian-Pilot, 28 Feb. 2016. Web. 6 Mar. 2016.