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Paga _n..'A;,;ada Jelferaon Sentinel, ianuary 30; 1992 e . e New maps alter city flood plains Plans remove 400 homes from the flood zonef but add 400 more . IIy ICEVW DUGGAN Arvada homeowners I1vIng near creeks soon could be In for a swpt1se. The surprise could be good or bad: creekalde homeowners wtIl learn whether their houses are In or out of DoocI plain areas. FoUowtng the dtrecUon of the Federal Emergency Manage- ment Agenr:y (FEMAJ. the city Is preparing new mapa delineat- Ing DODd p1atns along creeks and theirtrlbutartes. The changes wl11 affect homeowners' need for Oood in- surance. which can only be bought from the federal gOYem- ment. City Engineer Jim Root said 400 householde wtIl be taken out the DoocI plain deslgnallons. but another 400 wtIl be added. The difference could add up to hundreds of dollars for home. owners. Compantes holdtng mort- gages on houses In DoocI p1atns usually requlre homeowners to carry DoocI Insurance. Many of the homes being added to the maps are In the Ralston Creek area along Brooks Drive. The city uses the DODd plain maps to regulate building and development In the areas. Root told the city council Monday that the new maps are more delal1ed and accurate In calculating the topogmphy sur- rouncUng a creek. City officials have IIll1eto say about the maps or how the DODd plains are determined. Root said. If the city does not comply With the ehanges. It couJd be suspended from the federal in- surance program. he satd. Root saIcI that to avotd being suspended from the program. the city must adopt the map rhm"l!"" by Feb. 19. The council will have a public heartng on an orc1Inance that would adopt the map Feb. 17. Affected resldenls will be sent letters teI1Ing them If they have been added to or taken out of the DODd plain. Root said. He satd the letters wtIl in- clude maps of the affected areas.