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Williamson board amends flood plain ordinance

BY JOHN D. HOMAN, THE SOUTHERN

Saturday, August 2, 2008 11:13 PM CDT

MARION - To remain in compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines, the Williamson County Board has approved an amendment to its ordinance regulating development in floodplain areas.

Assessor Jeff Robinson, who doubles as the county's floodplain coordinator, said the amendment addresses detailed maps of unincorporated areas of the county. He said the maps indicate elevations of flood-prone areas.

Robinson said six communities in the county - Creal Springs, Crainville, Pittsburg, Spillertown, Stonefort and Whiteash - are not active participants in the county's floodplain insurance program as they have been identified by FEMA as areas of no flood hazard.

If somehow those towns were to flood, however, Robinson said they would still be eligible for emergency relief by virtue of the county's participation in the federal program. He added that to his knowledge, no applications for flood relief have ever been submitted to FEMA since the county adopted a flood ordinance in 1993. It's that ordinance that allows county residents to be eligible to purchase flood insurance and for disaster relief from floods.

Board Chair Brent Gentry on Thursday said new Geographical Information System (GIS) technology proved to be a valuable tool in collecting data on the unincorporated areas of the county.

john.homan@thesouthern.com

351-5805