According to the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), applicants and certified applicants in all filings and drawings that are located in a Special Flood Hazard Area must include SFHA information. Properties outside an SFHA must include flood maps and state that “Property is not in the SFHA.” The maps either specify in which flood zone the property is located, or provide proof that the property is not in the flood area.

Labeling the drawings’ SFHA is needed in case of an audit for Flood Zone Compliance. Flood Zone Compliance is an inspection that verifies the structure was built according to the drawings and is only required if the structure is currently being built in a flood zone area. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) outlines all flood zone areas.

One of the following must be present on the General Notes page of the drawings if the structure is not in a SFHA:

• The Preliminary FIRM (2013). Pertains to structures or buildings that existed before November 1983
• The FEMA FIRM (2007). FEMA maintains and updates data through FIRM and risk assessments
• “Property is Not in SFHA.” Required in the general notes sections on drawings if the structure is not in the SFHA

For any additional questions or comments on flood maps, please contact Milrose Consultants.