Flood Insurance Rate Maps
To identify properties at risk of flooding, FEMA prepares flood insurance studies and Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) where flood risk is designated by zones.
FEMA retains sole authority for designating which properties are included or removed from the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), also known as the 100-year floodplain or Zone AE. Congress requires that FEMA periodically remap floodplains to reflect population growth. The city’s maintains FEMA’s historical FIRMs and the current effective FIRMs. The current effective dates are:
- Effective FIRM – Nov. 4, 2016
- Revisions to city code for floodplain management – Aug. 26, 2016
How the map affects you
A portion of the city is included in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) on the effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM). Some properties that were considered low risk (Zone X or 500-year floodplain) have been categorized as high risk (SFHA). Property owners added into the SFHA may be required to purchase flood insurance by their mortgage lender. All SFHA properties with a federally backed mortgage must carry flood insurance.
Learn more about flood insurance.
Locating your property
You can find your property online through FEMA's online Flood Map Service Center. To find your property, type the address, city and state into the search bar. To view the property's associated FIRM, click on the "view map" symbol. The maps show base flood elevations, flood zones and floodplain boundaries.
The FEMA FIRMs for St. Louis Park are listed below by location.
St. Louis Park FIRMs
- North of Interstate 394 and west of Ford Road(PDF, 41MB)
- West of Pennsylvania Avenue South, north of 14th Street West (near I-394) and east of Ford Parkway (near Highway 100)(PDF, 41MB)
- North of 36th Street West, south of 14th Street West and west of Pennsylvania Avenue South(PDF, 42MB)
- South of 36th Street West and west of Meadowbrook Road(PDF, 40MB)
- North of 14th Street West, east of Pennsylvania Avenue South and west of Highway 100(PDF, 39MB)
- South of St. Louis Park near Highway 100 and I-394(PDF, 41MB)
- South of 14th Street West, north of 36th Street West and west of Raleigh Avenue South(PDF, 41MB)
- North of 36th Street West and east of Raleigh Avenue South(PDF, 39MB)
- South of 36th Street West and west of Browndale Road(PDF, 42MB)
- South of 36th Street West and east of Browndale Road(PDF, 42MB)
Hennepin County's online mapping tool
Hennepin County's online mapping tool also allows property owners to locate floodplain boundaries. It allows you to search by property address, and it shows new floodplain boundaries, high-quality color aerial photos, parcel boundaries and topography. You can also print a map of your property.
Changing or correcting a FIRM
FEMA has administrative procedures for correcting the effective FIRM based on new or revised scientific or technical data. These changes are implemented with written documents and are not depicted on the FIRM.
If a property owner thinks their property has been inadvertently mapped into the SFHA, you may submit a request to FEMA for a letter of map change.
Letter of map amendment
A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is an official amendment to the effective FIRM indicating that a property is not located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).
- LOMA can only be issued by FEMA
- LOMA does not change the official FIRM
Letter of map revision
A Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) is an official amendment to the effective FIRM that can modify flood zones, delineations and elevations.
- LOMR can only be issued by FEMA
- LOMR does not change the official FIRM
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if my mortgage company tells me I have to buy flood insurance?
You should determine how much and what portions of your property are either within or outside of the new floodplain boundaries. View FEMA's online Flood Map Service Center or Hennepin County's online mapping tool to help make that determination. Hennepin County's map allows you to search by property address, and it shows new floodplain boundaries, high-quality color aerial photography, parcel boundaries and topography. Once you have that information, you can contact your mortgage company to discuss your options.
If your property is located within the floodplain, but all structures are clearly shown as out of the floodplain, you may qualify for a Letter of Map Amendment – Out as Shown (LOMA-OAS). View the LOMA-OAS Guide for help filing a LOMA-OAS with FEMA.
What if my property is in a low-lying area?
Some properties have very low elevation and include structures that are in the high-risk floodplain. It may be possible to elevate or flood proof your house to comply with floodplain regulations, or to partially mitigate the risk, which could help reduce flood insurance costs and lower your risk.
Have you previously received a Letter of Map Amendment or Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill?
FEMA provided a list of properties that includes a summary of map amendments. Category 2 in that summary lists the Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) and Letter of Map Amendment Based on Fill (LOMR-F) cases that will continue to be valid. If your property is included in that list, and your mortgage company contacts you to add flood insurance, you can provide them with the revalidation letter(PDF, 259KB). Some of the cases in the list have dozens of properties covered with one LOMR-F. Also, many properties are listed by the legal description, not the street address, which may make it difficult to determine if your property is included in the list. City staff has researched and provided a list of current addresses included in the Summary of Map Amendments(PDF, 291KB).