Attention, procrastinators: If you have any doubt about whether your property is in a floodplain, now is the time to check. If you wait, it may cost you.

But after the document is finalized, which is scheduled to end by late March, homeowners who believe their land is not in a flood zone will have to go through a lengthy and expensive process to convince the Federal Emergency Management Agency that a mistake was made.

Last month, a man who lives near Gillsville came to Finnick's office with a dilemma. His mortgage company had notified him that he was going to be charged more than $100 a month extra for flood insurance.

"The gentleman had been living there since 1990, through three revisions of the maps," Finnick said. "With the most recent revision, the floodplain had expanded about 100 feet.

"But when I pulled it up on our computer here, I could see that an error had been made," he said. "The FEMA contractor's mapping software had caused the contour line to jump 20 feet (in elevation)."

After being informed of the mistake, the contractor agreed to remove the property from the floodplain, saving the owner from having to pay more than $1,200 a year in unnecessary insurance premiums.

If the resident had waited until the map was adopted, Finnick said, "He would have to hire an engineer, have a survey done, and submit extensive documentation, which could cost about $500 for a single-family lot."

"Under the revision we're working on now, there are about eight areas where the floodplain has expanded," said Finnick. "If you have a stream near your yard and you're not absolutely sure about the floodplain documentation, you should check with us.

"Don't assume that if you haven't heard from your mortgage company, it's OK, because they won't know about it until the map goes into effect next September," he said.

Residents can still view the new maps in the engineering office of their local government, Finnick said. "If you live in unincorporated Hall, you can come to us. But if you live within the limits of one of Hall's cities, you need to contact your city engineer."

"Any home can flood," she said. "If your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can get (federal) flood insurance whether you're in the floodplain or not."

But rates are based on the official map. Homeowners located in an area that's likely to flood only once every 1,000 years will pay much less than someone who lives directly on a stream.

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