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Braintree council adopts updated FEMA floodplain maps
Summary
The Town of Braintree Council voted unanimously to adopt newly revised FEMA floodplain maps, keeping the town current in the National Flood Insurance Program and updating local GIS records.
The Town of Braintree Town Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt newly revised Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain maps for Braintree.
Adopting the maps keeps the town current in the National Flood Insurance Program and updates the town’s geographic information system (GIS) so residents and staff can view the new floodplain delineations.
Peter Matczuk, director of planning and community development, told the council the maps reflect federal updates and will be incorporated into Braintree’s GIS and made available at the building department as hard copy. “This is to adopt the newly revised FEMA maps for the flood zone,” Matczuk said. He added the update helps the town remain in the federal flood insurance program and that higher-density areas tend to be revised most often.
Councilors asked whether the updated maps cover waterways such as the Monatiquot River and smaller brooks. Matczuk said the updated FEMA layer includes coastal and inland waterways and will be integrated into the town’s GIS; he also identified the town’s building commissioner, Forsberg, as the local floodplain manager.
The council’s committee on ordinance and rules had recommended the measure unanimously, and the council approved Order 25,021 “as submitted with Planning Board recommendations.” No public comments were offered during the hearing. The vote was recorded as unanimous; the transcript does not list individual vote names or counts.
Matczuk said map updates in the region typically occur on a rolling basis every four to seven years, with longer intervals in less populated areas. The council’s action will determine which properties in town are formally listed in the updated floodplain and could affect insurance and permitting for affected property owners.
The council did not attach additional conditions or implementation dates to the adoption; the Planning Board recommendation will guide staff outreach and GIS publication.
The council will post the updated floodplain layer in the town’s GIS and maintain a hard copy in the building department for residents to inspect.
