Lee County FEMA flood maps ready for viewing

Lee County residents will get a chance to get a first look at the new preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps at three upcoming public open houses.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, residents and property owners can attend these open houses to see the maps, that show the potential extent and risks of flooding. They will be used to determine flood insurance premiums and building requirements.

An open house will be held at the Cape Coral Yacht Club, 5819 Driftwood Pkwy. on Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m.

There will be another open house Tuesday at the Sanibel Community House, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and one on Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Florida Southwestern State College

At the open houses, attendees can learn about their risk of flooding and ask questions about what the new maps will mean for their property. Specialists and subject matter experts will be on hand to meet one-on-one and discuss flood risk, flood insurance, appeals, mitigation options, as well as the engineering behind the flood insurance study.

The preliminary FIRMs were developed through a partnership between the communities and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They are based on updated modeling data and show coastal flood hazards more accurately than previous maps.