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Public Meeting Saturday On Floodplain Map

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 21, 2008

PLANT CITY The city will hold a public meeting from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St., on the Hillsborough County floodplain map that is being developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Plant City officials are unhappy with portions of the map, including a designation placing much of Walden Lake, the city's largest subdivision, in a floodplain. The city believes a contractor working for FEMA used erroneous information about elevations in determining the floodplain in Walden Lake and other areas, City Engineer Brett Gocka said.

The city has filed an appeal to FEMA. Based on the appeal, 60 homes in the Sugar Creek subdivision off U.S. 92 have been removed and most of the homes in Walden Lake will likely be removed from the floodplain, Gocka said.

The city continues to gather information and may appeal other areas that are in the floodplain. Individual homeowners are encouraged to file appeals of their own, Gocka said.
The maps are used to determine insurance rates. Lenders may require additional insurance for homes in the floodplain.

Gocka said residents should attend the meeting, during which the appeals process will be explained.
The map becomes effective Aug. 28 but the appeals process will continue, Gocka said.

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