the Arroyo Chico and Tucson Arroyo a FIRM. You may view this tutorial at: Property owners whose buildings have been watercourses. http://www.fema.gov/media- removed from an SFHA and are now located in library/assets/documents/7984 a Zone X or a Shaded Zone X may be eligible What is a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR)? for a one-year premium refund. Your lender When does a LOMR change a FIRM? must provide you with a letter agreeing to A LOMR is an official revision to the Flood remove the requirement for flood insurance. If Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) issued by the LOMRs become effective once the statutory your lender refuses to send you a letter stating Federal Emergency Management Agency Technical Appeal Period is over. The that they will not require flood insurance, you (FEMA). LOMRs reflect changes to the 100- effective date is listed on the LOMR cover will not be eligible for a refund. If you do not year floodplains or Special Flood Hazard letter. have a lender, you will not be eligible for a Areas (SFHA) shown on the FIRMs. In rare refund. To learn if you are eligible, please situations, LOMRs also modify the 500-year Can I drop my flood insurance if my follow these steps: floodplain boundaries. Changes may include residence or business is removed from ARROYO CHICO FLOODPLAIN modifications to Base Flood Elevations, the floodplain by a LOMR? 1. View the revised flood maps to REMAPPING floodplain widths, and floodways. The determine if your property has been re- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LOMRs are issued after a floodplain has The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 mapped to a Zone X or Shaded Zone been remapped due to a major flood event, and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act X. You will find these maps at the local What is the Arroyo Chico/Tucson Arroyo after better mapping data becomes available, of 1994 directs federally-regulated lenders to map repository for your community project? or after structural flood control improvements require flood insurance on loans secured by a (see the last page of this brochure for have been installed. Additional information building located in an SFHA. Once an area locations and contact information). If The Arroyo Chico/Tucson Arroyo drainage about SFHA designations is available at has been removed from an SFHA, the lender your property has been or will be improvement project is a joint drainage FEMA's website: is no longer mandated by the National Flood removed from the floodplain, please improvement project between the US Army https://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/ Insurance Reform Act to require flood follow steps 2 through 5. Corps of Engineers, the Pima County Regional faqs/what-is-a-special-flood-hazard-area.jsp insurance. Flood Control District (District) and the City of 2. Obtain a copy of the LOMR issued by Tucson. The Drainage improvements resulting What is a Flood Insurance Rate Map What if my lender requires me to carry FEMA. from this project are threefold: (FIRM)? flood insurance even if my residence or business has been removed from the 3. Send your lender a copy of the LOMR 1. Reconstruction of the Randolph South FIRMs are issued by FEMA through the floodplain? along with a written request asking for Golf Course to include multiple National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a new flood map determination for your detention basins; and display federally recognized flood hazard A few lenders may still require flood building based on this map revision 2. Construction of four flood control areas. Communities participating in the NFIP insurance based on their lending policies (some lenders may charge a small reservoirs, which include the are required to have building restrictions for even when a structure lies outside an SFHA. fee). Ask the lender for a written conversion of the Cherry Field baseball any new construction in an SFHA to reduce If a residence or business has been removed confirmation to include the following: and softball complex into a the potential for flood damages. Property from the SFHA by a LOMR, premiums paid combination sports facility and flood owners who own residences, or businesses on flood insurance should be decreased to • Flood insurance was required reservoir; and, within SFHAs and who have mortgages reflect the lower flood risk. originally as a condition of the loan. 3. Reconstruction of storm drains along though a federally insured lending institution • Flood insurance is no longer the Arroyo Chico, Tucson Arroyo and are required to have flood insurance per the Can I get a refund on the flood insurance I required based on FEMA's LOMR. High School Wash watercourses. The National Flood Insurance Reform Act. The have paid once my residence or business project drainage infrastructure reduces FIRM panels (maps) reflect insurance risk has been removed from the floodplain? 4. If your lender purchased the flood the 100-year floodplain by 72% along designations for flooding. FEMA has a insurance policy for you and billed you tutorial on their website entitled, How to Read for it, ask that the lender to cancel the flood insurance policy and issue you a What if I disagree with the new maps? watershed characteristics could increase Local Floodplain Information Offices refund. Many of the policies purchased flood depths and discharges. Finally, the by lenders are not backed by the NFIP When FEMA issues a LOMR, there is a 90- FIRMs only reflect major floodplains. Some City of Tucson and, therefore, have a range of day Technical Appeal Period prior to the properties are adversely impacted by tributary Development Services Department different refund standards. If your maps becoming effective. During that 90-day flow or by local drainage not reflected on the Engineering Division lender purchased the policy, we period, individuals who disagree with the new federal maps. 201 N. Stone Avenue, 1st Floor encourage you to check with your maps may submit technical or scientific data Tucson, Arizona 85701-1207 lender to determine what refund to FEMA to dispute the new information. Can I still obtain flood insurance if my (520) 791-5609 policies apply to your case. If you Please be aware that FEMA will only accept home/business is removed from the bought your flood insurance policy technical and scientific data for appeals. floodplain? Pima County Regional Flood Control directly from an insurance agent, read Therefore, individuals who wish to make an District Step 5. appeal are strongly encouraged to retain the Yes, unless your community has been put on Floodplain Management Division services of a registered professional civil suspension by FEMA for not following the 97 E. Congress Street, 3rd Floor* 5. If the lender provides you with a letter engineer. NFIP guidelines. Tucson Arizona, 85701-1797 removing the requirement to carry flood (520) 724-4600 insurance, send a copy of the letter Once the Technical Appeal Period has What if I have additional questions about along with a copy of the LOMR cover passed, the new maps are effective. flood insurance? * At the end of January, the Pima County letter to your insurance agent and ask Changes to the SFHA would have to be Regional Flood Control District office will be that the policy be cancelled. Typically, processed though a new LOMR application. For additional questions about the NFIP, moving to the 9th Floor of the Public Works most insurance companies can In some circumstances, it may be feasible to please call 1-800-427-4661 or visit the NFIP Building located at 201 N. Stone Avenue in process this refund within 60 days. A obtain a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) to website at: www.floodsmart.gov. For flood Tucson. full refund of the premium is provided remove a structure or property from the hazard mapping questions, property owners for the policy year in which the LOMR floodplain. To find out more information on may contact FEMA’s Flood Map Service became effective provided the policy is the LOMR and LOMA processes, visit the Center at: 1-877 FEMA MAP or visit the Pima County Board of Supervisors currently active and there are no claims FEMA website at: http://www.fema.gov Flood Hazard Mapping website at: Ally Miller, District 1 pending. The cancellation request https://msc.fema.gov/portal Ramón Valadez, District 2 must be received during the policy Where can I go to view the new maps? Sharon Bronson Chair, District 3 Ray Carroll, District 4 year, or within 6 months of the policy LIST OF ACRONYMS: Richard Elias, District 5 expiration date. You may view the maps at either the City of FEMA Federal Emergency Management Tucson Development Services office or the Agency C.H. Huckelberry Pima County Administrator What does it mean if my residence/business District’s office. Addresses and contact FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Maps is going to be added to a floodplain? information are on the last page of this LOMA Letter of Map Amendment brochure. LOMR Letter of Map Revision If your property will be located in a designated NFIP National Flood Insurance Program SFHA as a result of a LOMR, insurance can be My property has been removed from the SFHA Special Flood Hazard Area purchased from your local insurance agent. 100-year floodplain. Does that mean it will Revised December 16, 2015 Ask your insurance agent if you qualify for a never flood? Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) eligibility extension. If you do not have an agent who Not necessarily. The 100-year flood has a 1 can write a flood policy for you, call 1-888-379- percent statistical probability of occurring 9531 to obtain the names and telephone during any given year; storms do occur that numbers of insurance agents in your area or have intensities greater than the 100-year visit: www.floodsmart.gov event.