Kosciusko County is in the process of revising its flood control ordinance, the Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission heard during its regular monthly meeting Wednesday afternoon, July 1, in Warsaw.

Matt Sandy, assistant planning director for the county, said the revision is mandated because FEMA is updating its flood plain maps and also some of its policies, and DNR is also updating policies. He noted the county has been told Sept. 30, 2015, is the activation date for the new maps.

Specific numbers are not available yet, but Sandy said some people who were previously identified as being in a flood zone will no longer be in one and the reverse is true as well. He cited as an example several property owners around Chapman Lake will likely be coming out of a flood zone. Some base flood elevation levels will change because of the new flood plain maps.

Those who will be affected by the mapping change should be notified if they haven’t already, Sandy added.

In addition to the mapping changes, another big change will be the cost of flood insurance will increase for some. Federal subsidies that have been provided to some property owners to help offset insurance premium costs will gradually be phased out and those owners will have to pay insurance premiums based on their actual risk level.

The APC did not vote on the revisions because more input is needed from DNR. Sandy noted the revised ordinance must be approved by the state. The APC is only a recommending body locally and the revisions must also be approved by the county commissioners.

Anyone with questions can contact Sandy at (574) 372-2304. Revision of the ordinance was advertised as a public hearing for July 1, but no one from the public gave input.

In other business, the APC recommended approval of a road vacation for a small portion of Frantz Street in the Shady Crest addition near Warsaw Community High School. The petitioner is Nanette Newland. Originally it was platted as a turnaround but is now just a grassy area. Newland said the property was supposed to originally be developed with more lots, but never was.

County commissioners had already approved the road vacation at their June 30 meeting contingent upon a favorable recommendation by the APC.

Also on the agenda, the APC approved the final plat for the Simpson Estates subdivision on the fringes of Mentone along and near SR 25. It is a four-lot subdivision with one lot being commercial and the other three residential. Only the commercial lot is being developed at this time and a Dollar General store will be built on it.

Approval for the final plat was given with the condition the Indiana Department of Environmental Management will approve the erosion control plan.

And the APC approved a final plat for a two-lot Agricultural II subdivision for Devon and Laura Hochstetler at the intersection of CR 700W and CR 1350N just outside of Nappanee. It is known as the Horseshoe Acres North Plat.