6/20/05

Residents Invited to Review Floodplain Maps at Town Meeting
More Accurate Maps Show Detailed Floodplian for Cape Fear River Basin

Holly Springs residents are invited to a public meeting to view and learn more about new state Flood Insurance Rate Maps that more accurately delineate the Cape Fear River Basin 100-year floodplain, as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The 100-year floodplain consists of land near rivers and streams that has a 1% chance of being flooded per year. The Cape Fear River Basin in Holly Springs consists of lands near waterways generally west of Main Street and Avent Ferry Road.

Current FEMA floodplain designation is limited to more significant rivers and streams that have a minimum 1-square-mile drainage area. In Holly Springs, Harris Lake and a couple of its tributaries including Utley Creek, White Oak, Norris Branch, and Cary Branch are FEMA-designated floodplains. FEMA floodplains are regulated by the Town of Holly Springs under a program of delegation from the state. In addition to the minimum standards required by the state under this program, Holly Springs also regulates locally designated floodplain areas, specific locations the Town has flagged for needing additional flood prevention measures.

The Holly Springs public meeting will be held from 5-7 p.m., July 12, 2005, in the Holleman Meeting Hall on the first floor of Town Hall, 128 S. Main Street. Town staff will be on hand for the discussion. The Town will mail notices about the meeting to property owners with Cape Fear River Basin FEMA floodplain areas on their property as depicted by the new maps, soon to be available online at www.ncfloodmaps.com. FEMA's recently released maps for the Cape Fear River Basin are also available on the website.

In early April, the NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety unveiled the new floodplain maps, which were created in partnership with FEMA. The last time the maps were produced was in 1992. The state now plans to update the maps every three years to provide accurate data as elevations of property change due to development, as more precise topographic maps become available and as development occurs that impacts storm water runoff. According to the NC Department of Crime Control, the commitment to re-map the state's 100-year floodplains was one result of the devastation caused by Hurricane Floyd.

Fortunately, not many structures in Holly Springs have been built in the 100-year floodplain, said Heather Keefer, environmental specialist with the Town of Holly Springs Engineering Department. In 1997, the Town began to mandate buffer requirements along streams in the Cape Fear River Basin in 2000 that keep development away from flood-prone areas. And, in 2001, the Town specifically updated its flood ordinance to prohibit residential development in both FEMA and locally designated floodplains.

If residents are unable to attend the July 12 meeting, maps soon can be viewed online at www.ncfloodmaps.com and at the Town Engineering Department in Town Hall. To schedule a meeting to view the maps in Town Hall or for more information, contact Keefer at (919) 557-2909.

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us