FEMA updated the nation’s flood maps in 2008 under a program called Map Modernization. The City of Santa Clarita’s flood maps prior to this were over thirty years old. As part of this effort, FEMA also required the reassessment of all structures shown on the previous maps as levees. The railroad embankment that runs along Railroad Avenue was previously credited as a levee. With new FEMA policies, the railroad embankment no longer meets current levee certification requirements and was decertified by FEMA. The resulting floodplain that FEMA mapped was at a greater risk than the City believe existed therefore, the City had additional studies done to better determine the actual risk. As a result, FEMA has issued a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) reflecting the changes to the Flood Insurance Rate Map for the Newhall area.
Changes to the Flood Insurance Rate Map affecting your property include:
Map change to a high-risk flood zone (A zone)
Map change to a moderate-risk flood zone (Shaded X zone)
Map change to a low-risk flood zone (Unshaded X zone)
Although not applicable to every parcel, the general revisions are:
Most properties south of Lyons Avenue between Newhall Avenue and Railroad Avenue are now mapped in a moderate or low-risk zone. These designations remove the mandatory requirement to carry flood insurance.
Approximately half of the properties east of Railroad Avenue between Park Street and 6th Street are now mapped in a low-risk zone removing the mandatory requirement to carry flood insurance.
Most properties north of Lyons Avenue, that are affected by the new floodplain, are now mapped into a high-risk zone.
If you have a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender and the building(s) on your parcel(s) are within the A zone, then by federal law, your lender must require you to carry flood insurance. Flood insurance is available through the FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Contact your insurance agent to learn about the lower-cost Preferred Risk Policy Eligibility Extension and “grandfathering” options offered by the NFIP for properties being mapped into higher-risk areas for the first time.
Important Links
A separate Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) was issued to our community effective June 15, 2012 which fixed an incorrect zone designation released on the 2008 flood map for Newhall. This correction was necessary to ensure proper grandfathering rights for the new flood map that became effective on August 9, 2013. Both of these documents should be presented to your flood insurance agent to make certain that you receive the correct grandfathering rates when purchasing flood insurance for the first time.
Click on the Letter of Map Revision for Newhall below, to view the flood zone for your specific property (see pages 11 and 12). This LOMR is effective as of August 9, 2013.
For properties that are in the downtown Newhall area, where the Special Flood Hazard Area (A zone) is contained in the streets and the city blocks are in the Shaded-X zone, some property owners have been experiencing issues of still being determined to be in the A zone. This problem is related to FEMA’s current mapping guidelines with regard to mapping resolution. To resolve these errors, the City worked with FEMA to do further analysis on the flooding levels in downtown Newhall. As a result, it was determined that the flood risk could be downgraded and the A zones were removed from the streets. An updated LOMR was issued to our community, and became effective on February 7, 2014. Click on the LOMR below to view the flood zone for your specific property (see page 6).
Parcels mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area (A zone) for the first time after October 1, 2008 are eligible for a Preferred Risk Policy Eligibility Extension (PRP EE) policy. If your insurance agent is not familiar with FEMA’s current policies on newly mapped A zone properties, supply the first two below documents to them prior to policy rating. This can result in a substantial savings in policy premiums.
Newly Mapped into a High-Risk Area – Preferred Risk Policy
Extension of Preferred Risk Policy Eligibility
Preferred Risk Policy – Residential
Preferred Risk Policy – Commercial
The documents below detail flood insurance requirements, coverage and other general flood insurance information. For specific information pertaining to your property, please contact your flood insurance agent.
