TL;DR: Morgan County residents have two concurrent readiness actions in late September and early October 2026: review the draft Berkeley and Morgan County Hazard Mitigation Plan at public meetings, and check preliminary flood maps during a 90-day appeal period that started September 16, 2026.

Berkeley County and Morgan County, in cooperation with the Eastern Panhandle Regional Planning and Development Council (Region 9), the West Virginia Emergency Management Division and FEMA, are updating the Berkeley and Morgan County Hazard Mitigation Plan, according to the public notice published as West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

What the Hazard Mitigation Plan update covers

The Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies natural and human-caused hazards affecting the counties and its municipal jurisdictions, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

The same notice states that the plan evaluates community vulnerabilities across those counties and municipal jurisdictions.

The notice also states that the plan establishes strategies to reduce future risks to lives, property, infrastructure, and the environment.

Citizens, business owners, community organizations, and other interested stakeholders are invited to attend a public review meeting to provide comments and recommendations regarding the draft Hazard Mitigation Plan update, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

Public participation is encouraged and will assist in the development of a comprehensive and effective mitigation strategy for both counties, the notice states.

The update is published by Order of the Berkeley County Commission and Morgan County Commission, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

Berkeley County public review meeting

The Berkeley County public meeting date is Tuesday, September 29, 2026, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

The time is 6:00 PM, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

The location is Berkeley County Sheriff's Office (Training Room), according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

The address is 510 South Raleigh Street, Martinsburg, WV 25401, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

All interested persons are encouraged to attend and provide input, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

Written comments may also be submitted at the meetings for consideration by the planning team, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

Morgan County public review meeting

The Morgan County public meeting date is Thursday, October 8, 2026, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

The time is 6:00 PM, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

The location is Morgan County Courthouse (Room 104), according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

The address is 77 Fairfax Street, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

All interested persons are encouraged to attend and provide input, according to the same notice.

Written comments may also be submitted at the meeting for consideration by the planning team, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

Written comments may also be submitted by emailing Olivia Shores at Region 9 at [email protected], according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

Accessibility and how to request accommodations

The meeting locations are accessible to persons with disabilities, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

Individuals requiring special accommodations should contact the applicable county emergency management office at least three (3) business days prior to the meeting, according to West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

For readiness planning, that three-business-day lead time means Berkeley County attendees seeking accommodations for the September 29 meeting should contact emergency management well before the meeting week, while Morgan County attendees for the October 8 meeting should make the same contact at least three business days before October 8.

The notice identifies the applicable county emergency management office as the contact point, rather than the meeting venue itself.

Flood map update now in 90-day appeal period

Separately, FEMA is proposing updates to the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for Morgan County, West Virginia, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

Community partners are invited to participate in a 90-day appeal and comment period, according to that report.

The 90-day appeal period began on September 16, 2026, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

The updated maps were produced in coordination with local, state and FEMA officials, according to the same report.

Significant community review of the maps has already taken place, but before the maps become final, community partners can identify any corrections or questions about the information provided and submit appeals or comments, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

Residents, business owners and other community partners are encouraged to review the updated maps to learn about local flood risks and potential future flood insurance requirements, according to that report.

How to file a flood-map appeal

They may submit an appeal if they perceive that modeling or data used to create the map is technically or scientifically incorrect, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

An appeal must include technical information, such as hydraulic or hydrologic data, to support the claim, according to the same report.

Appeals cannot be based on the effects of proposed projects or projects started after the study is in progress, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

Submit appeals and comments by contacting the County's GIS and Addressing Department, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

The preliminary maps may be viewed online at the FEMA Flood Map Changes Viewer, according to the same report.

The next step in the mapping process is the resolution of all comments and appeals, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

Once they are resolved, FEMA will notify communities of the effective date of the final maps, according to that report.

How to file a flood-map comment

If property owners see incorrect information that does not change the flood hazard information — such as a missing or misspelled road name in the Special Flood Hazard Area or an incorrect corporate boundary — they can submit a written comment, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

That written-comment path is distinct from a technical appeal, because the report describes comments as addressing information that does not change flood hazard information.

Examples listed in the report are a missing or misspelled road name in the Special Flood Hazard Area and an incorrect corporate boundary.

Like appeals, comments are submitted by contacting the County's GIS and Addressing Department, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

The next step after submission is resolution of all comments and appeals before FEMA notifies communities of the effective date, according to the same report.

Flood-map timeline households should track

Morgan County Flood Mapping Milestones listed in Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST begin with May 9, 2025 — Flood Risk Review Meeting to review draft flood hazard data.

The second milestone is November 21, 2025 — Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map released, according to the same report.

The third milestone is January 15, 2026 — Community Coordination and Outreach Meeting to review Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map and discuss updates to local floodplain management ordinance and flood insurance, according to the same report.

The fourth milestone is September 16, 2026 — Appeal Period starts, according to the same report.

The listed future milestone is September 2027 — New Flood Insurance Rate Map becomes effective and flood insurance requirements take effect, according to the same report.

That September 2027 timeline is subject to change pending completion of the appeal review process, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

Insurance and contact points for map questions

Most homeowner's insurance policies do not cover flooding, according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

There are cost-saving options available for those newly mapped into a high-risk flood zone, according to the same report.

Learn more about flood insurance options by talking with an insurance agent and visiting the Floodsmart website, according to that report.

For more information about the flood maps, contact a FEMA Map Specialist by telephone, toll free, at 1-877-FEMA-MAP (1-877-336-2627) or by email at [email protected], according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

Questions may also be directed to the FEMA Region 3 Office of External Affairs at (215) 931-5597 or at [email protected], according to Public Invited to Review, Correct Flood Maps in Morgan County – The Panhandle News Network | WEPM & WCST.

For local filing, the report directs appeals and comments to the County's GIS and Addressing Department, while the draft Hazard Mitigation Plan comments go to the public meetings or to Olivia Shores at Region 9 at [email protected] as stated in West Virginia Legals | Morgan.

Sources referenced