FEMA Flood Zones

Flood hazard areas identified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map are identified as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). SFHA are defined as the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The 1-percent annual chance flood is also referred to as the base flood or 100-year flood. SFHAs are labeled as Zone A, Zone AO, Zone AH, Zones A1-A30, Zone AE, Zone A99, Zone AR, Zone AR/AE, Zone AR/AO, Zone AR/A1-A30, Zone AR/A, Zone V, Zone VE, and Zones V1-V30. Moderate flood hazard areas, labeled Zone B or Zone X (shaded) are also shown on the FIRM, and are the areas between the limits of the base flood and the 0.2-percent-annual-chance (or 500-year) flood. The areas of minimal flood hazard, which are the areas outside the SFHA and higher than the elevation of the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood, are labeled Zone C or Zone X (unshaded). The SFHA designations which appear within Bay County are explained further below.

A - Areas with a 1% annual chance of flooding and a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30  year mortgage. Because detailed analyses are not performed for such areas; no depths or base flood elevations are shown within these zones. 

AE - The base floodplain where base flood elevations are provided.

AH - Areas with a 1% annual chance of shallow flooding, usually in the form of a pond, with an average depth ranging from 1 to 3 feet. These areas have a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30 ‐ year mortgage. Base flood elevations derived from detailed analyses are shown at selected intervals within these zones.

AO - River or stream flood hazard areas, and areas with a 1% or greater chance of shallow flooding each year, usually in the form of sheet flow, with an average depth ranging from 1 to 3 feet. These areas have a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30  year mortgage. Average flood depths derived from detailed analyses are shown within these zones. 

VE - Coastal areas with a 1% or greater chance of flooding and an additional hazard associated with storm waves. These areas have a 26% chance of flooding over the life of a 30  year mortgage. Base flood elevations derived from detailed analyses are shown at selected intervals within these zones.

Property owners may request a letter of map change (LOMC) for an individual property using the MT-1 Form on FEMA's website.

There are different types of LOMCs.

Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) – A property owner would use this form to request a LOMA if they feel that their property should not be mapped in a flood zone. FEMA does not charge an application fee for a LOMA application; however, owners will need to provide elevation information (elevation certificate), which requires the services of a state licensed surveyor, engineer, or architect.

Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F) – A property would use this form to request a LOMR-F if they have placed fill material on the property to elevate the property above the flood hazard. This would include a structure built to an elevation that places it above the flood hazard. The fee schedule for this is on the application form. Owners will need to provide elevation information (elevation certificate), which requires the services of a state licensed surveyor, engineer, or architect.