Residents in unincorporated Boulder County need to check their flood insurance requirements after the recent updates by FEMA to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). As of October 24, the revised maps released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been made effective for both development and insurance purposes, according to
Boulder County
. The updates reflect new flood hazard data from the Colorado Water Conservation Board following the 2013 flood event.
The community needs to note that no new areas have been included in the county’s Floodplain Overlay District, but approximately 1,800 acres have been removed from the regulatory 1%-annual-chance floodplain. This change could impact homeowners’ obligations and needs for flood insurance. Homeowners with a federally regulated mortgage living within the 1%-annual-chance floodplain are required by law to maintain flood insurance, a mandate known as the “mandatory purchase requirement,” per Boulder County’s announcement.
The FIRMs are not set in stone; they are expected to continue updating well into 2025. These updates will factor in ongoing flood recovery projects like county road work and more than 20 stream restoration and infrastructure initiatives. Projects on Fourmile Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are among those listed for incorporation into the evolving maps.
Even though changes to the FIRMs are no longer open for public comment and appeal, a window that closed back in 2021, options remain for map changes through FEMA’s official processes. To save on flood insurance, Boulder County has participated in the Community Rating System, which affords county residents a 25% discount on National Flood Insurance Program policies, regardless of flood zone designation. This discount is something to consider, as flood insurance claims can come from outside the anticipated floodplain, indeed, almost a third of flood insurance claims do, per the recent release.
Boulder County officials are urging property owners, renters, and business operators to review their flood insurance status in light of these updates. They recommend visiting FEMA’s Flood Insurance website or contacting an insurance agent to ensure proper coverage, highlighting that lenders can require flood insurance regardless of the flood zone. With the landscape of risk that shifts not just with the rivers but with policy, Boulder’s denizens are well-advised to keep abreast of such updates, to both maps and mortgages.
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