Find a compromise with new flood boundaries

It appears that some property owners may have valid concerns about the integrity of the flood plain maps' boundary revisions. And with the significantly higher costs for flood insurance that accompany those revisions, to the extent that those boundary revisions may not be accurate, those insurance costs would seem to be an unjust burden on the property owner.

While an owner may challenge the revisions by engaging a licensed surveyor at his/her cost, again, those challenge costs would seem to be an unjust burden.

While the objective of required protection of properties in real danger of flooding is reasonable, so should be the basis for determining the boundary revisions.

I suggest a compromise solution: When a challenge to the flood plain boundary finds the boundary inaccurate, the property owner should be reimbursed for all expenses connected with the challenge by the government agency responsible for the inaccuracy. If a property owner wishes to challenge, and the challenge in fact confirms the new boundary, the cost of the challenge should remain the property owner's.

Fair is fair.

Thomas J. Kopecky

Cedar Rapids