The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s 100-year floodplain maps of Cobb County were recently updated and property owners are encouraged to see if their properties are in the Special Flood Hazard Area.
While the maps throughout Cobb County were changed, the primary focus of the updates was on the Chattahoochee River along the eastern edge of the county and Sweetwater Creek in the southwest, both of which impact multiple counties. These floodplain revisions have many benefits, including enabling residents and business owners to understand their current flood risk and receive more informed recommendations regarding flood insurance coverage options.
Property owners in the floodplain will probably receive notification from their lending institutions that they are required to have flood insurance. Owners who purchase the insurance before March 4 can take advantage of a lower cost “preferred rate policy.” That could mean the difference between paying $300-$400 per year and paying $3,000.