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1. How can I find out if my house is in a flood zone?

There are two easy ways to get this information: - Use the Property Information System (Online Mapping) --> find your property (search by address or owner), then check the box in the layer list on the left that reads "Flood Zone (effective as of 1/16/15)* - Call our office at 757-890-3894 between 8:15 am and 5:00 pm and we will be happy to research and answer that question.

2. What do the FEMA Flood Zone Designations, like AE and X500, mean?

For all designation definitions please visit our FEMA Flood Zone Designation Definitions page.

3. I need to get a building permit, and they told me I needed a plat of my property. Do you have one?

The building permits section needs to see a scaled drawing of your property lines and any existing structures to ensure that your new construction will fall inside the building setback regulations. The best document for this application is a property survey, done by a licensed surveyor, as it is the most accurate. If you don't have one of those, we can produce a drawing for you showing the property lines and the man-made features, but it is not nearly as accurate as a real survey, and therefore may not be suitable for all applications. We will produce and print this drawing for you in our office during normal business hours.

4. Can I get printed maps? Is there a charge?

Yes. The GIS office, located in the Finance Building (120 Alexander Hamilton BLVD), will provide small format (letter or ledger sized) GIS maps and survey plats for free under 5 copies.  Additional copies are $1 per simple small maps and a few dollars more for “heavy” ink usage maps. 

The charge for large format maps are based on overall size and use of ink. Maps larger than 36”x36”  are $10 or $15; low ink vs. heavy ink.  Maps larger than 36”x36” are $12 or $20; low ink vs. heavy ink.

"Heavy ink” maps are any aerial imagery maps or layers that cover the entire map in solid colors, such as Zoning, or Election Districts maps.

5. I need a map that shows all of the streets in the County - do you have one?

Yes. However, if your main purpose is for driving directions, or locating other features in the County (parks, subdivisions, etc.), we will always suggest that you purchase a commercially-produced map book that is designed for those purposes. The street map that we create here is 6 feet long and 3 feet tall - which is not suitable for most common street map uses.

6. I am looking for old aerial photos of the County - who has them?

We have aerial photos of the County for the following years: 1953, 1963, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2017. However, our oldest flight years do not necessarily have complete coverage of the County.

7. How often is the Property Information System (online mapping) updated?

The real estate assessment information is updated every night.

8. I am looking for old maps of the County - do you have any?

No. We do not maintain any old maps of the County. If you are doing historical research, you might try visiting the local college libraries (William and Mary's Swem Library is a good one for colonial-era documents), or the Library of Congress.

9. How can I access recorded subdivision plats on the Property Information System?

For instructions on how to access subdivision plats on the Property Information System please visit our Accessing Recorded Subdivision Plats page.

10. I think my house is above the flood plain and should not require flood insurance, what can I do?

Please contact the County's Floodplain Administrator at 757-890-3750 for more information.