Homeowners may have to pay for flood insurance over new maps

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — New state and federal flood maps will require some Gwinnett County homeowners and business owners to buy flood insurance.

FEMA and the Georgia EPD worked together to create the maps of the 100 year flood plain.

Officials examined a portion of Gwinnett County and six other counties along the Chattahoochee River.

In Gwinnett, the maps focus on 168 square mile section in northwestern part of the county. The area includes cities like Duluth, Buford and 70 miles of unincorporated land.

Channel 2's Erica Byfield spoke to Jonathan Semerjian about the map changes.
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Semerjian is an engineer with the Gwinnett Department of Water Resources. He told her the flood status of 98 percent of the area studied should not change.

"There could be changes to residences and businesses that are currently not in the flood plain that could be put in the flood plain as a result of these revisions, but there will also be some that will be removed as well," Semerjian said.

Gwinnett County is hosting an open house with the state and federal officials on Oct. 26 to tell residents about the changes.

The meeting will be held at the county courthouse in Lawrenceville from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Semerjian expects to have the list of the affected properties ready within the next week.