Local floodplains are managed by the Floodplain Management Overlay (FPMO) District found under Article VI of the Isle of Wight County Zoning Ordinance. FPMO district regulations address issues that include residential development, hazardous materials, filling in the floodplain, construction standards and non-structural development.
In general the purpose of the FPMO district is to limit the kinds of development allowed to occur in the 100-year floodplain. The 100-year floodplain is that region of land that, on an annual basis, stands a one percent chance of flooding. In order for local residents to qualify for flood insurance, communities must have a program of floodplain management.
Flood insurance is governed through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and there are official Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) published through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that show the 100-year flood plain, as well as other official classifications of floodplains.
Paper copies of the most recent FIRMs can be viewed at the Planning and Zoning office in the Isle of Wight County Courthouse Complex. Digital copies of FIRMs also are available through the online Map Service Center of FEMA. The most recent FIRMs for Isle of Wight County date to September 4, 2002.
As a general rule for development purposes, the flood plain management program aims to keep most structures out of the 100-year flood plain. In practice that generally means locating all new development in Zone X, which is located outside of the 100-year flood plain and is defined as that area of land with a 0.2 percent chance annual chance of flooding. Some parts of some flood plains have determined Base Flood Elevations (BFEs); these areas have been subject to special hydrologic studies that identify the base flood elevation. Other parts of the 100-year flood plains have estimated flood plain elevations, where the approximate extent of the flood plain is estimated based on topographic maps.
