Representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency are hosting a Flood Risk Information Open House from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, in the City Council Chambers, 2 East Main Street in St. Charles.

The open house will provide St. Charles residents an opportunity to review the preliminary Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the 7th Avenue Creek area. Digital copies of the FIRM and FIS materials also are available on FEMA’s website www.fema.gov/preliminaryfloodhazarddata or on the city’s 7th Avenue Creek project website at www.stcharlesil.gov/projects/7th-avenue-creek-project.

The FIS and the FIRMs provide base flood information, delineate areas subject to significant flood hazards within Kane County, and offer information public officials may use when permitting development in the floodplain.

The Open House will be staffed with representatives from various local, state and federal agencies who will provide the most current information about flood risk, flood insurance, floodplain development regulations, and the process for floodplain mapping within Kane County. The newly prepared preliminary floodplain maps will be on display.

Once the maps become effective, these maps will be used by floodplain permit officials, builders and developers, lenders, realtors, insurance agents and the general public to determine flood risk, develop mitigation measures, and encourage wise and responsible risk management decision-making.

Property owners, real estate agents, lenders and insurance agents are urged to attend and take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation within their community. For more information, contact Ken Hinterlong, FEMA Region V at Ken.Hinterlong@fema.dhs.gov or 312-408-5529.

About FEMA

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

About the City of St. Charles

Friendly neighborhoods, diverse retailers, international employers, innovative schools, beautiful parks, varied cultural amenities, and unique architecture have earned St. Charles its reputation as the Pride of the Fox. Located in both DuPage and Kane counties, the City of St. Charles is 35 miles west of downtown Chicago, and has a population of approximately 33,000. Over 1,800 businesses, consisting of a balanced mix of retailers, restaurants and manufacturing facilities, employ more than 18,000 people. The City of St. Charles was named the #1 City for Families by Family Circle® magazine in 2011; one of the “150 Great Places in Illinois,” by the AIA Illinois; and one of the “Top 10 Towns To Live In” by West Suburban Living magazine. www.stcharlesil.gov