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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and a Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report reflecting proposed flood hazard determinations within Santa Barbara County and the Cities of Santa Barbara, Solvang, Buellton, and Carpinteria. These flood hazard determinations include adding or modifying Base Flood Elevations, Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries or zone designations, and the regulatory floodway. Before the revised FIRM panels become effective, there is a 90-day appeal period from September 19 to December 18, 2024. During that time, residents or businesses with supporting technical and scientific information, such as detailed hydraulic or hydrologic data, can appeal the revised flood risk information on the preliminary maps. These maps can be viewed at fema.gov/preliminaryfloodhazarddata .
Flood hazards are dynamic and can change frequently for many reasons, including weather patterns, erosion and community development. These changes may affect future building standards or insurance requirements. The revised flood maps can also help building officials, contractors and homeowners make effective mitigation decisions, thereby contributing to safer and more disaster-resilient communities. FEMA encourages residents to review the preliminary flood maps to learn about local flood risks, potential future flood insurance requirements and identify any concerns or questions about the information provided.