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WESTPORT, Conn. A total of 21 properties in Westport will now be considered in flood zones after the Federal Emergency Management Agency prepared new flood zones maps for the town, Westport Planning and Zoning director Larry Bradley said Wednesday.
Although 21 properties were added to flood zones, 38 properties have been removed, Bradley said in a statement. In all, 1,122 properties are in designated flood zones, according to the new maps. These property owners may be required to purchase flood insurance, Bradley said. Letters have gone to the property owners informing them of the map changes, he said.
This action was based upon new digital mapping that FEMA has prepared and will become effective next year, said Bradley. The latest round of changes to the FEMA maps is more extensive than the last revision, which was done in June 2010, he said.
Flooding is the most frequent and costly natural disaster in Westport. The risk for flooding changes over time due to erosion, land use, weather events and other factors. The likelihood of inland, river and coastal flooding has changed along with these factors, Bradley said.
To find out whether your property has been mapped into a higher risk zone, is in a flood zone or for questions about the flood map changes, contact Michelle Perillie or Laurence Bradley in the Westport Planning and Zoning Office at 203 341-1076. Questions can also be answered in person at the Planning and Zoning office in Town Hall on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m. or on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
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