Topsail Beach asks for more help to avoid increasing flood insurance

TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WWAY)– The town of Topsail Beach asks homeowners to continue sending money for an appeal on flood zoning.

Last week we told you FEMA proposes changing about 200 homes from Scott to Clark Avenues to a VE flood zone. The town says that could increase those homeowners’ flood insurance upwards of five times.

The town asked those homeowners for a $240 contribution each by Monday to help pay for the $48,000 appeal process.

The Town has enlisted a coastal engineering firm to perform separate WHAFIS to evaluate the area in question. Step one is to Collect topographic data for dune and inland areas and combine with new beach data and compare with areas north and south. Step Two is to compare with LIDAR data utilized by FEMA in the WHAFIS Modeling. Step Three is to Perform WHAFIS Model on updated data. Step Four is to prepare and submit appeals package. The Town has obligated $15,000 to the first two steps of the appeal process.

The town says as of Monday they only have a 40 percent response from homeowners so, they are still asking for those contributions. They will make a decision on whether to go forward with the appeal at a public meeting Wednesday at 6:00.