Floodplain Management

Like most counties in Ohio, Licking County utilizes the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) that are produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These maps were created as a tool for communities to use when managing Special Flood Hazard Areas. These areas typically have a one percent chance of flooding in any given year or a 25% chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. The FIRMs are, at best, conservative interpretations of the existing Special Flood Hazard Areas. With this in mind, the Licking County Planning Commission adapted the Flood Damage Prevention Regulations from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) minimum standards to complement the existing Flood Insurance Rate Maps. The differences between Licking County's Flood Damage Prevention Regulations and the Standard Regulations that FEMA requires are quite significant. An example would be the requirement dealing with useable ground. In order for a new lot to be created in Licking County, there must be enough ground where natural elevation is above the Base Flood Elevation for house, well, and septic. The Licking County Health Department, County Engineers, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service support this requirement. Another difference is that the Licking County Regulations require the placement of permanent benchmarks when creating a subdivision. All residents of Licking County will benefit from this requirement, since establishing these permanent benchmarks makes determining property elevations much easier and less expensive.

Licking County is also involved with the Community Rating System Program (CRS). This program was developed through the National Flood Insurance Program to give communities the incentive to do more than just regulate building in the flood hazard area. If communities such as Licking County decide to implement CRS into their floodplain management activities, they work toward accumulating points based on more comprehensive floodplain management activities. The more points communities receive for their activities, the greater the reduction in flood insurance premiums local residents are required to pay. This program is strictly voluntary. Licking County joined the program in 1993 and based on their efforts that first year, the county residents received a five percent discount on flood insurance premiums. In 1997, Licking County was approved for an additional five percent discount, bringing the total to ten percent off the premium rate for residents requiring flood insurance. Residents who are not required to purchase flood insurance, but do so to protect their home and/or possessions, receive a 5% discount.

Licking County assisted the Village of Hebron to implement a Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) provides funding to assist states and communities in implementing measures to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to buildings, manufactured homes, and other structures insurable under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Village of Hebron's program was successful in removing four homes from the floodplain, which had repeatedly suffered from flood damages. Similar assistance from Licking County enabled the city of Pataskala to remove one home from repeated flood damages.

A Stream Maintenance Brochure is available to assist landowners with watercourse management questions and concerns.

Check out our brochure on Licking County Flood Protection.

Most homeowners insurance does not cover damages that occur as a result of flooding. However, because Licking County is a member of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Community Rating System (CRS), and has adopted regulations that will minimize flood damage to new developments, you are eligible to purchase special flood insurance from your existing insurance agent.

If your home is in a location that is not mapped as a special flood hazard area, you are still eligible to purchase flood insurance and receive that coverage at a lower cost.

Federal disaster assistance is usually provided in the form of a loan that must be paid back with interest along with any existing mortgage.

Total flood insurance claims in the U.S. averaged more than $3.5 billion per year from 2005-14.

In the past five (5) years, all 50 states have experienced a flood.

Floods are the number one natural disaster in the United States.

Everyone is at risk - even those that do not live close to rivers and lakes. Floods happen as a result of heavy rains, snow melt, overloaded drainage systems, land-development runoff, and many more reasons. Just an inch of water can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage to your home and its contents.

Property owners, renters, and business owners can purchase flood insurance on their building and contents if their community is among the more than 22,000 communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

It typically takes 30 days after the purchase of flood insurance for a policy to take effect.

As of August 2016, the average premium in Ohio is about $941 a year; the average claim in the past 5 years was nearly $42,000.

Nearly 25% of all flood claims are for properties mapped outside of high-risk flood areas.

Qualifying properties in moderate- to low-risk areas are eligible for the low-cost Preferred Risk Policy.

For flood insurance and flood risk information, visit FloodSmart.gov. To learn more about obtaining a flood insurance policy, call your insurance agent or 1-800-427-2419 to find an agent near you.

As of March 16, 2015, Licking County has new effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). These new maps impact certain Flood Hazard "A-Zones", and are identified with a letter (J) at the end of the FIRM Panel Number.

For additional information please visit FloodSmart.gov Flood Toolkit.

Residents of High-Risk Areas (Zones A, AE, AE Floodway): Homes and buildings in high-risk flood areas with mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders are required to have flood insurance. In high-risk areas, there is at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage.

Residents of Moderate to Low-Risk Areas (Zones X): Homes and businesses located in moderate- to low-risk areas that have mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders are typically not required to have flood insurance. Even though flood insurance isn't federally required, anyone can be financially vulnerable to floods. In fact, people outside of mapped high-risk flood areas file over 20-percent of all National Flood Insurance Program flood insurance claims and receive one-third of Federal Disaster Assistance for flooding. When it's available, disaster assistance is typically a loan you must repay with interest. A lender can require flood insurance, even if it is not federally required.

As of March 16, 2015, Licking County received new effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) from FEMA. The new maps only had changes in Zone "A" designations.

Village of Alexandria Zoning Inspector
Phone: (740) 924-2539

• Website
• Alexandria Regulations (opens in new window)
• Alexandria Flood Hazard Permit (opens in new window)

Licking County Planning Commission (General Inquiries, Flood Zone Determinations, and Permitting)
Phone: (740) 670-5200

Mayor Linda Goodman (Enforcement, Appeals/Variances, Regulations, Map Maintenance)
Phone: (740) 928-7100

• Website
• Buckeye Lake Regulations (opens in new window)
• Buckeye Lake Flood Hazard Permit (opens in new window)

Debi Walker, Acting Village Planner
Phone: (740) 587-0707

• Website
• Granville Regulations (opens in new window)
• Granville Flood Hazard Permit (opens in new window)

Keith Marinik
Phone: (740) 973-1206

• Website
• Hanover Regulations (opens in new window)
• Hanover Flood Hazard Permit (opens in new window)

Village Mayor

• Contact
• Website
• Hartford Regulations

Jared Lane, Director of Building and Zoning
Phone: (740) 522-1420 x210

• Website
• Heath Regulations (opens in new window)
• Heath Flood Hazard Permit (opens in new window)

Deborah Morgan
Phone: (740) 928-2261

• Website
• Hebron Regulations (opens in new window)
• Hebron Floodplain Permit (opens in new window)

Jim Blair
Phone: (740) 967-3177, ext. 2

• Website
• Johnstown Regulations (opens in new window)

Terry Ashcraft, Mayor
Phone: (740) 927-2030

• Kirkersville Regulations (opens in new window)
• Kirkersville Flood Hazard Permit

Nate Straoch, City of Newark
Phone: (740) 670-7729

• Website
• Newark Regulations (opens in new window)

Scott Fulton, Planning Director
Phone: (740) 927-2168

• Website
• Pataskala Regulations (opens in new window)

John Paszke, Chief Building Official
Phone: (614) 322-6828

• Website
• Reynoldsburg Regulations (opens in new window)

Licking County Planning Commission (General Inquiries, Flood Zone Determination, and Permitting)
Phone: (740) 670-5200

Dennis Ankrum, Zoning Inspector (Enforcement, Appeals/Variances, Regulations, Map Maintenance)
Phone: (740) 745-5694

• St. Louisville Regulations (opens in new window)
• St. Louisville Flood Hazard Permit (opens in new window)

Licking County Planning Commission (General Inquiries, Flood Zone Determination, and Permitting)
Phone: (740) 670-5200

Glen Richards, Village Administrator (Enforcement, Appeals/Variances, Regulations, Map Maintenance)
Phone: (740) 892-2696

• Website
• Utica Regulations (opens in new window)
• Utica Flood Hazard Permit