Polk County residents are finding out Tuesday if they are in flood zones, or not.
Commissioners are hosting open houses to present the new flood maps, which were last redrawn in 2000.
The pond off Mann Road in Bartow is picturesque and tranquil. That's until you read the map from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and realize some of these residents are one storm from a flooding catastrophe.
"I have never thought it flooding in the first place."
Betty Faye Scidham has enjoyed her home off this lake for 40 years. She loves the good news that her property has been reclassified to having less than 1 percent chance of flooding.
That's because by the new flooding map places her home is Zone X, which means not likely to flood. But guess what? Under the old map she was in Zone A, which meant her property had a 30 percent chance of being flooded.
FIND YOUR ZONE:Click here to determine your zone in new map
"We removed a flood zone. In essence that removes them from a flood zone and now they are entitled to lower insurance rates," said Randall Vogel, the county's flood plain manager.
LEARN MORE:Click here for more flood map information
The county today is hosting this Flood Zone open house sharing with people the New FEMA maps. People like Betty Faye can now be given the bad news or maybe even some good news about floods in their futures.
Future FEMA flood map meetings:
-- 4 to 7 p.m. May 13: Magnolia Building, 698 E. Orange St., Lakeland.
-- 4 to 7 p.m. May 14: Chain of Lakes Complex, Pool Room, South Entrance, 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd. SW, Winter Haven.
