FEMA Flood Map Frequently Asked Questions

FEMA has revised the Coastal Risk Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) with an effective date of March 27, 2024. These FIRMs modify portions of the City of North Port that are influenced by storm surge, high tides and wave action in additions to freshwater inputs. Revised FIRMs for other municipalities within Sarasota County will also be effective March 27, 2024. Please call FEMA at (877)-336-2627 for any questions related to this map change.

The City of North Port’s residents would not be able to purchase Flood insurance through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance through private companies is available but the cost can differ.

The March 27, 2024 FIRMs show major changes in the special flood hazard area (SFHA) flood zone AE boundaries and increased base flood elevations (BFEs) for the areas with tidal influences near the Myakkahatchee Creek and Myakka River.  You can access the user-friendly searchable flood web application on the City’s webpage https://www.northportfl.gov/City-Services-and-Safety/Public-Works/Flood-Information/FEMA-Flood-Map-Updates.  Click HERE for a quick link to the flood maps. FIRMs are also available on the FEMA website at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search.

Areas West of Myakka River - BFE increase from 7ft NAVD88 in the November 4, 2016 FIRMs to 8ft NAVD88 in the March 27, 2024 FIRMs

• Portions of Gran Paradiso, The Preserve, Renaissance, Oasis, Tortuga, Lake Geraldine
• Portions of Wellen Park (aka West Villages)
• Myakka State Forest

Areas East of Myakka River - BFE increase from 7ft NAVD88 in the November 4, 2016 FIRMs to 9ft NAVD88 in the March 27, 2024 FIRMs

• Portions of Talon Bay
• Duck Key
• Portions of residential and commercial areas north and south of US41 near Myakkahatchee Creek and interconnected waterways with tidal influences.

FEMA used very old 2007 topographic data to create the March 27, 2024 FIRMs which do not reflect the later houses built higher on fill.  Despite repeated City written comments to FEMA, FEMA decided to not revise the maps with more recent topographic data.  

The opportunity to submit an appeal/comment to FEMA is over.  FEMA had provided a 90-day period for public appeal and comments which began on March 3, 2021, and ended on June 1, 2021.  The City had sent mailers to all affected property owners back in March 2021, advising residents of the appeal period.

During the preliminary mapping phase, FEMA hosted 3 public outreach events on March 4, 5 and 26, 2020 at venues in North Port, Venice and Sarasota County.  The City had sent mailers to all affected property owners back in February 2020 advising residents to attend one of these events.

To accommodate public inquiries on the new FIRMS effective March 27, 2024, Sarasota County is hosting several public outreach events. Visit our FEMA Flood Map Updates page  for these events.

• Please call FEMA at (877)-336-2627 for any questions on how to file for a map change.
• Properties that are built higher than the March 27, 2024 FIRM’s BFE, can file for a letter of map change (LOMC) with FEMA.  The most common types of LOMCs are Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA, no FEMA fee) and Letter of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F, FEMA charges a fee).  The City does not file for a LOMC on behalf of the property owner.
• A topographic survey and/or an elevation certificate (EC) signed and sealed by a Florida Licensed surveyor, will need to be submitted with the FEMA application. The FEMA application and supporting documentation must first be submitted to the City’s Building Official signature for Community Acknowledgment prior to filing with FEMA.
• If your property is in a residential subdivision, you can contact the developer or Home Owners Association to see if a Letter of Map Change (LOMC) can be filed for a group of affected properties in the subdivision.  This can result in cost savings as FEMA’s LOMR-F filing fee is $425 per property, but is $800 for a group of properties.  
• It is recommended that LOMCs be filed after the March 27, 2024 date so that FEMA will review the LOMC request based on the March 27, 2024 FIRM data.   If an LOMC is filed with FEMA before the March 27, 2024 effective date, FEMA will make a determination based on the current November 4, 2016 FIRM data.
• For more information on how to file for LOMC, please access the City’s webpage at https://www.northportfl.gov/City-Services-and-Safety/Public-Works/Flood-Information/Flood-Insurance-and-Letter-of-Map-Changes

• To determine whether there is a LOMC on your property, please call FEMA at (877)-336-2627.

•  You can also visit the City’s flood web application on the City’s webpage https://www.northportfl.gov/City-Services-and-Safety/Public-Works/Flood-Information/FEMA-Flood-Map-Updates.  Click HERE for a quick link to the flood maps and make sure the “LOMC” layer is selected.
• On March 28, 2024, FEMA revalidated all LOMCs in which the property or the house structure is higher than the March 27, 2024 FIRM’s BFE. Please see FEMA March 28, 2024 Letter Revalidating LOMCs(PDF, 406KB) .
• Some LOMCs were filed with FEMA prior to the final grading of the property.  For the LOMCs that are not valid as the elevation is below the March 27, 2024 FIRM’s BFE, it is recommended that a topographic survey be done to see if the property’s final constructed elevations are higher than the March 27, 2024 FIRM’s BFE.   If a portion of the property is below the March 27, 2024 FIRM’s BFE, then request also an Elevation Certificate to see if the lowest adjacent grade (LAG) to the house, is higher than the March 27, 2024 FIRMs BFE.  This will allow the house structure to be removed from the Flood zone AE by filing to FEMA for a LOMC.
• LOMA is applicable if a property/building structure was built before the effective date of the FIRM that shows a flood zone AE, and the property or house structure was built higher than the new BFE.  There is no FEMA filing fee for a LOMA.
• For more information on LOMCs, please see our web page at https://www.northportfl.gov/City-Services-and-Safety/Public-Works/Flood-Information/Flood-Insurance-and-Letter-of-Map-Changes

• Some elevation certificates (ECs) are available for houses on our Elevation Certificates page. This webpage is updated only once per year. You will need the Parcel Identification Number (PID#, or Tax ID #) to search.
• You may check with the Building Division, to see if they have an elevation certificate.  However, please note that ECs are required by the Building Division only for properties that were built in a high risk flood zone AE, per the flood map in effect at the time the building was constructed.  If the house is not in the high risk Flood zone A, AO, AE at that time, the Building Division would not have required an elevation certificate. 
• A surveyor can provide an elevation certificate but will charge a fee. You can find a surveyor by doing a google search using key words “surveyor in North Port Fl”.

You are accessing the tabulation at the bottom of the Sarasota County Property appraiser site which lists all the various flood zones on the property.  Different parts of the property can have a different flood zone.   You need to click on the “map” link at the bottom of the Sarasota County Property appraiser tabulation to see what flood zone is on which part of the property.  “IN” means in the high risk flood zone (zone AE) and “OUT” mean out of the high risk flood zone (zone X).

The various flood hazard zones can be accessed from the City’s webpage https://www.northportfl.gov/City-Services-and-Safety/Public-Works/Flood-Information/FEMA-Flood-Map-Updates.  Click HERE for a quick link to the flood maps.

• Zone AE (red) – High risk flood zone which is a special flood hazard area (SFHA) with a 1 % annual chance flooding (100-year flood).  Base Flood Elevations (BFE) determined.
• Zone X (no color) – Areas determined to be outside the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.
• Zone X  (shaded in yellow) - Areas of 0.2% annual chance of flood; area of 1% annual chance flood with average depths of less than one foot or with drainage areas less than one square mile.