New Flood Maps for Maui County to be discussed Feb. 7-9, 2011

By Wendy Osher

Flood Map of Maalaea/Kihei courtesy Hawaii National Flood Insurance Program.

Maui County’s new federal flood insurance maps will be the topic of discussion at a series of meetings in February.

Those in attendance will learn how the flood map changes will affect property owners.  The  flood insurance rate maps were developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are scheduled to take effect sometime during the last quarter of 2011.

Areas that will be significantly impacted by the flood map changes are: properties adjacent to Kaunakakai Stream and Iao Stream; Hana, and the southern shores of Lanai, Maui and Molokai.

The public information meetings are as follows:

• Lanai: Monday, February 7, 2011, 12-3 p.m. at Hale Kupuna O Lanai, 1144 Ilima Aven, Lanai City.
• Maui: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 5:30-8 p.m. at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Ctr, Wailuku.
• Molokai: Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Kaunakakai Gym Conference Room, 90 Ainoa Street, Kaunakakai.

Federal, State and County personnel will be available to answer questions and assist property owners with determining their flood risk.  Personnel from the County’s Department of Planning will also be on hand to answer questions for property owners who are considering developing in newly mapped, high-risk flood zones.

The public can preview the new Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DIRMs) by visiting the Hawai’i Flood Hazard Assessment Tool website, http://www.hawaiinfip.org/.