A recent UDO text amendment revised our flood damage prevention regulations to be consistent with current National Flood Insurance Program standards. Counties and municipalities across the state of North Carolina are required to adopt newly revised FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) as these maps become available. FEMA FIRMs are revised periodically to reflect changes to local floodplains which result from development or environmental changes in an area. In order for local governments to maintain eligibility for FEMA disaster assistance and to allow homeowners in these jurisdictions the opportunity to purchase flood insurance, updated FIRMs must be adopted.