“We’re not trying to tell you what you can and cannot do with your property. We’re trying to keep you safe,” Emily Houdeshell, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency State National Flood Insurance Program Specialist said.

Houdeshell spoke at the December 2023 meeting of the Salisbury Township Environmental Advisory Council. Approximately 35 persons, mostly Salisbury residents, were at the Dec. 20, 2023 meeting held in the township municipal building on a rainy night.

Houdeshell was invited to speak to the EAC by Salisbury Township Assistant Manager-Director Community Development Sandy Nicolo and Salisbury Township Planning and Zoning Officer Kerry H. Rabold.

Houdeshell provided those in attendance with brochures, folders, maps and information concerning flood insurance for homeowners, commercial property owners and renters.

“The NFIP system allows you to get a lot of access to grants,” Houdeshell said.

Salisbury officials estimate 100 township residents own property in or partially in a flood plain, mainly along or in the vicinity of Trout Creek north of East Emmaus Avenue.

“I help regulate those flood plains that you live in,” Houdeshell said.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the Flood Plain Management Act 166 in 1978.

The legislation, amended in 2022, provides “for the regulation of land and water use for flood control purposes, imposing duties and conferring powers on the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Environmental Protection and municipalities, providing for penalties and enforcement and making appropriations,” according to the General Assembly website.

“Every municipality must adopt a flood plain ordinance,” Houdeshell said.

Salisbury Township plans to amend its flood plain ordinance, according to Rabold, who is researching the matter. The process includes holding a public hearing, which would be announced.

“We do have a lot of areas that got hit by flooding this year [2023],” Houdeshell said.

Residents can determine if they are in a flood plain by logging on to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Map Service Center: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home.

“You put your address in and it will show you what type of flood plain you are in,” Houdeshell said.

Rabold said to those at the meeting, “If you got a letter [about the EAC Dec. 20 meeting], some of you are probably in a flood zone.”

Rabold said township residents with flood plain concerns could contact her at the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.; krabold@salisburylehighpa.gov; general office: 610-797-4000 or direct line: 484-661-5825.

“For anyone who would like to have their property looked at, email me,” Nicolo said, who can be contacted at snicolo@salisburylehighpa.gov or 610-797-4000.

The Salisbury Township Environment Advisory Council is next scheduled to meet 7 p.m. Feb. 21 in the municipal building.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet 7 p.m. Jan. 25 in the municipal building.