On May 17, 1993, Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued  a Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) that identified the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), the areas that would be inundated by the flood having a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (base flood), in the Lee County and City of Auburn area.  Recently, FEMA completed its re-evaluation of flood hazards in our area.  On January 9, 2009, FEMA provided us with a Preliminary copy of the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report and the FIRM that identify existing flood hazards in the community, including Base Flood Elevations (BFEs).  The proposed BFEs for our area were published in The Opelika-Auburn News on July 26, 2009 and August 2, 2009 and in the Federal Register at Part 67, Volume 74, Pages 31650 through 31655, on July 2, 2009.

During the first public comment period, a total of 27 appeals were received by City of Auburn and submitted to FEMA for re-consideration.  These appeals were approved and incorporated into the revised FIRM.  The second statutory 90-day appeal period has now ended.  Therefore, the base flood elevations (BFEs) for Lee County and the City of Auburn are considered final.  The FIRM will become effective on November 2, 2011. 

The City of Auburn is required to adopt floodplain management regulations that meet the standards of Paragraph 60.3(d) of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations (44 CFR 59, etc.) by the effective date of the FIRM.  To view the final maps or if you have questions concerning the FIRM, contact the Public Works Department at 334-501-3000.