FEMA Question ... BLDG #7, Zone A

I've been told by and insurance agent to go back to a job and measure the garage area and flood vents that serve the garage separately than the "enclosure area" and the flood vents that serve the enclosure.

That's how I used to do it, until the county flood plane manager told me to stop doing it that way, as FEMA considers a garage under a Zone A, #7, to be an enclosure.

The evidence of this can be found in the FEMA's lowest floor guide:

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/nfip/manual201105/content/07_lfg.pdf

B. Elevated Buildings in A Zones

In an elevated building located in an A Zone (any flood
zone beginning with the letter A), the lowest floor
used for rating is the lowest elevated floor, with the
exceptions described below.
If a building located in an A Zone has an enclosure
below the elevated floor, including an attached garage,
the enclosure or garage floor becomes the lowest floor
for rating if any of the following conditions exists:
••The enclosed space is finished (having more than 20
linear feet of interior finished wall [paneling, etc.]); or
••The unfinished enclosed space is used for other than
building access (stairwells, elevators, etc.), parking,
or storage; or
••The unfinished enclosed space has no proper
openings (flood vents).
NOTE: A garage attached to an elevated building is
considered an enclosure.

What do you think? Is it worth fighting?