Cranberry will hold a public hearing concerning its floodplain ordinance updates at the Board of Supervisors meeting on March 26 at 6:30 PM. The proposed ordinance update will include revised definitions and documentation changes established by the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA).
Flood insurance and federal assistance such as mortgage loans and grants are only available in communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and have a floodplain ordinance that meets federal standards. FEMA recently published draft version of maps designating floodplains based upon the frequency of potential flooding, encouraging communities to update ordinances accordingly. The new FEMA mapping is not expected to become official until March 2016, but public comment on the proposed ordinance update is welcome.