Updated FEMA Flood Mapping

This update pertains to residents who received a letter from the Town of Avon dated November 15, 2023 informing them that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had identified property that they own within the Town of Avon as one that might be impacted by proposed changes to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). A copy of that letter is available HERE for your reference.

The November 15th letter referenced an upcoming 90-day appeal period during which property owners could appeal map revisions to FEMA. The Town recently received word that this appeal period is set to begin on February 28, 2024 and will end on May 28, 2024.

The appeal period is an opportunity for the municipality or any property owners to challenge the proposed FIRMs by providing additional scientific or technical data to FEMA. An appeal must be supported by an analysis or scientific evidence showing that the information on the preliminary FIRM is scientifically or technically incorrect. Statements such as, “FEMA’s map is wrong,” “It has not flooded as long as I have lived here,” or “I don’t want my house in the floodplain or to pay flood insurance” do not qualify as an appeal.

During the appeals period, FEMA will also accept any comments on the preliminary maps and studies. A comment is a minor correction to the map such as a spelling error to a street name or correction to a jurisdictional boundary.

FEMA has requested that the Town of Avon gather appeals from property owners and submit them to FEMA in one submission package. To that end, property owners that have a scientific basis for appealing proposed flood hazard information should contact Lawrence E. Baril, P.E., GISP, Town Engineer, no later than May 1, 2024 so that appeal requests from Avon can be organized. The Town Engineer can be reached at 860-409-4322 or by email at lbaril@avonct.gov.

Please note that the Town Engineer intends to submit an appeal on behalf of all areas within the Town of Avon that have been designated by FEMA to be within the 1% chance of flood base flood elevations for which elevations were not provided, so residents who wish to appeal on that basis need not notify Mr. Baril.

Additional resources developed by the Town and FEMA have been linked below for your convenience. Should you have further questions or concerns please contact the Town Engineer at the phone number or email address listed above.