Houses not located in flood zone (horizontal location)

I have submitted a sealed letter of opinion on a few occasions where the flood zone touched the parcel, but was clearly not encompassing the building. This has satisfied a discount retail store in Alabama and Mississippi.

Zone A is a flood zone...it just means that the BFE hasn't been determined. The community flood manager may have a BFE he is using or you may prepare an EC without listing a BFE. Then note that the BFE is undetermined.

How would doing a EC that is in flood zone A confuse anyone?

Send them a copy of the FEMA policy on use of digital flood hazard data. Attach a sketch showing the structure and flood hazard boundaries co-located according to the policy. Also attach an elevation certificate certifying the structure as being outside the SFHA. Be prepared for an argument.
FEMA has run into this a lot. They have developed an internal procedure known as LOMA OAS. That is short for out as shown.
Also- don't forget to get paid for your time...
Good Luck, Tom

I just spoke to FEMA and the said we don't need to do an EC, because the house is not is the Flood ZONE, but to give them the other LOMA docs and proof that the house is out. He did mention the "out as shown".

Thanks

My I-man's parents are going through the same thing. Vacant lot next to theirs is in AE and their structure is in X, but the bank says the map is not good enough. Had to prepare a LOMA and submit it saying it is in zone X. Just the banks and insurance companies trying to squeeze as much as they can out of you....

I have invested a ton of time on Flood related policy the last few years. Nearly every issue has started with one of the flood determination clearinghouses. I've found that calling the Flood Map Specialists at FEMA will get you headed down the best road every time.
I have gotten into the habit of issuing an Elevation Certificate even if I find a structure lies in Zone X. It does two things. First, the client has something explaining the situation in a standard format. That comes in handy when discussing the situation with lenders, etc. Second, the owner has the document he needs should they decide to purchase flood insurance. As I tell my clients, unless you print the LOMA on a levy it will not stop flood waters. The flood information and determinations are insurance risk calculations. They sometimes have little to no relationship with reality. Use the E-cert and get a preferred risk policy if it makes sense...

> How would doing a EC that is in flood zone A confuse anyone?

He said it's NOT in Zone A and that's why he wouldn't do one. 🙂

Its very easy. Most of the flood zone clearing houses will require an elevation certificate because the "property" is in a flood zone. You simply give them what they are asking for and show that the "house" is in flood zone X.

Problem solved.

I've had to make a report on about a dozen or so properties that were located in the wrong location by the bank's 1-800-25dollar agency.

I think they do this by a location derived from mailing address.

NEWS FLASH - not everyone's mailing address shows up right on Google Earth.

IMVHO - Anyone doing this service should at least have the proper maps to locate the property in the correct place or they should not submit a report.

I will spend no more time than necessary:
make the location on a USGS topo map and scan to pdf
make the location on a FIRM map and scan to pdf
make the location on Google Earth and print to pdf
make the locatoin on property/tax map and print or scan to pdf
and
Email all that to whoever made the call if it is to a client's property.

If it is some random property that I have not surveyed I let them know that they do not need my services because the location is not in a flood zone.

When they insist upon any proof I will quote a fee.

I do not take time to talk to any other agency about their wrong information unless they want to pay extra for my time on the phone.

The bank usually does not want to pay for proof that it is not in a flood zone.

You must then have a conversation with the actual person getting the loan and start all over with your explanation of what you will do for them.

The more I have to talk to them the more I charge them.

They never understand why I charge them a whole lot more than $25.

It takes billable hours to do this and it saves them mucho dollars by not having to pay for flood insurance.

B-)

One would think. I have had one client nearly lose 2 projects because the underwriters would not accept that their 'trusted source' for flood determinations could be wrong. The Google experts made it worse by claiming 'a Surveyor can't over ride FEMA'.
I spent a few hours explaining this to our board. Now I am preparing to explain it to the AG. Hopefully it will be time well spent. ..

it sounded to me like he meant they were out of a zone AE but in a zone A..but my answer would be the same..perform the EC and show the house in zone X and note no bfe in comments on back.

My thought exactly.

I believe the easy solution is to file a LOMA-OAS. I have a an instruction PDF that I can send you if you shoot me an email.

Hack