The city of Edina has appealed new federal flood plain maps that could force as many as 150 city property owners to buy expensive flood insurance.

The appeal, sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), affects three residential areas of the city: part of Morningside near a pond; townhouses at Nine Mile Village near Bredesen Park and Crosstown Hwy. 62, and Rolling Green, just south of Meadowbrook Golf Course on the city's northern edge.

Now it's a matter of waiting for a response from FEMA.

"We feel that we provided a lot of good information and good analysis of their modeling, and we hope FEMA agrees and makes the modifications we asked for," said Laura Adler, the city's water resources coordinator.

The new FEMA maps are part of the periodic national updating of flood plain records. Edina hired an engineering firm to take another look at elevation and mapping data that were used to produce the new maps, because in some areas they greatly expanded flood plains and seemed to conflict with recent analysis by the city.

If a house is in a flood zone, homeowners with a mortgage may be required by their bank to buy flood insurance. Federally backed loans require that. Being in a flood plain also could complicate the sale or remodeling of property.

Adler said she is not sure when the city will hear from FEMA.

Mary Jane Smetankaed