Flood Plain / FEMA / NFIP
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was established to reduce the financial risk for property owners and renters through insurance; in exchange, communities adopt floodplain management regulations that reduce future flood damages. Property owners and renters have the opportunity to purchase Federal flood insurance to protect themselves from financial losses. FEMA is required by law to identify and map the Nation’s flood-prone areas. It creates an awareness of the hazard, especially for those who live and work in those areas. Additionally, the maps provide communities with information needed for land use planning to reduce risks to new development in floodplains, and to implement other health and safety codes and regulations. FEMA requirements are intended to prevent loss of life and property and reduce taxpayer costs for disaster relief, as well as minimizing the economic and social hardships that result from flooding. Please click here for more information about National Flood Insurance Program.
On May 17, 2023, at our Annual Town Meeting, the town voted to amend the Zoning Bylaws by deleting Section 3.0 and replacing it in its entirety. The town also voted to add definitions to Section 3.0 and amend definitions in Section 9, as it relates to Floodplain Management. When the town receives approval from the Attorney General’s Office these changes will be reflected within our bylaws.
To view flood map changes for properties in Wales, please click here. You will have the ability to toggle back and forth between the old FIRMS and the FIRMS that were adopted at town meeting.
The Maps below can be found visiting FEMA Flood Map Service Center website. You would need to enter the fields for our community ~ Massachusetts ~ Hampden County ~ Wales. After clicking search, you would select ~ Pending Products ~ FIRM Panels (6). Links for each map that was newly accepted is below:
Letter of Map Change actions and Letters of Map Revisions for properties in our community: