A multi-year project to re-examine flood zones and develop detailed digital flood hazard maps has now been completed. Water flow and drainage patterns have changed significantly in the 25 years since the first Flood Hazard Maps were produced in Hillsborough County. These changes were related to erosion, land use, and other natural forces. However, the County's existing Flood Hazard Maps had not kept up with these changes and therefore didn't reflect the County's current flood risks.
In response to this need, the County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in cooperation with the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City and various community partners, revised the Flood Hazard Maps (also known as Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps). These updated digital flood maps will allow property owners to make better financial decisions about protecting themselves and their property. The maps also will help community officials, engineers, builders and others to make important determinations about where and how new structures and developments should be built. As a result, Hillsborough County will be a safer place to live.
As of August 28, 2008: Hillsborough County has received the final effective flood maps for Hillsborough County from FEMA. These maps include approved revisions to the flood maps from the protest and appeal period and other updates and new information that the County received during the review process. The final maps are available on this website in their final format. The maps became effective for regulating development and for flood insurance purposes on August 28, 2008.
The public meeting and comment period has ended for this map update process. But if after reviewing the updated map, you still feel the flood map boundaries are incorrect on your property, you can apply for a Letter of Map Amendment. A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is a federal document that identifies that there should be no flood insurance requirement placed on the mortgage holder's property because the primary structure and all attached areas (screen enclosures, garages, etc) are out of the high-risk area. Elevation certificates or other documents may be used to demonstrate that the structure and the lowest adjacent grade are above the proposed flood elevation or that the footprint of the structure is not within the horizontal boundary of the high-risk area. To learn more about the LOMA process, you can contact FEMA’s Map Assistance Center at 1-877-336-2627 or visit the following FEMA website: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/ot_lmreq.shtm.
For more information on the Flood Maps, call the Citizen Action Center at (813) 272-5900 or the Hazard Mitigation Section of the Building Services Division at (813) 272-5600.
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The Map Update Process |
| November 15, 2006 - Preliminary maps released |
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December 1, 2006 ( approx. ) - Start of 90-day Public Comment Period ( for filing of appeals and protests ) |
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March 2007 ( approx. ) - County and federal review begins |
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August 28, 2008 - Maps effective; new insurance requirements take effect |
For General Information Call
The Hillsborough County Citizen Action Center at 813-272-5900
Open 7 a.m.-11 p.m., seven days a week. |
Final Summary Of Map Actions ( PDF, 824KB )
Letters of Map Change Revalidation, August 29, 2008 ( PDF, 3.98MB )
County-wide Letter of Map Amendment - Structures, October 16, 2008 ( PDF, 300KB )
County-wide Letter of Map Amendment - Out as Shown, October 16, 2008 ( PDF, 566KB )
Sun City Center Letter of Map Amendment - Out as Shown, October 16, 2008 ( PDF, 1.53MB )
Información en Español. |
