CONYERS — An amendment approved by the Conyers City Council to the local hazard mitigation plan may pave the way to allow local governments to buy out property owners whose houses are in flood-prone areas.

The City Council approved an amendment last week to the county and city’s combined hazard mitigation plan that outlines the process for city officials to seek federal funds to purchase private property that is prone to flooding.

The amendment was requested by the Rockdale County Emergency Management Office following the historic flooding in September that damaged many homes along the Yellow River and its tributaries.

Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Myra Pearrell, who serves as the local Emergency Management liaison to federal and state authorities, explained the hazard mitigation plan is designed to allow amendments such as the one the city approved as situations change.

The Federal Emergency Management Administration and the Georgia Emergency Management Administration require both city and county governments to approve the amendment. Rockdale County has yet to take action on the measure.

The amendment provides a mechanism for local governments to apply for funding from FEMA and GEMA in buying out flood-prone property.

The idea is to help FEMA and GEMA reduce repetitive damage claims.

“They don’t want to keep paying for the same property,” Pearrell said.

The local authorities would identify property that could meet federal guidelines, then apply for the money, similar to the grant process.

However, Pearrell cautioned residents not to jump to any quick conclusions that their property could be purchased by the government.

“It doesn’t mean you’re going to buy out anything right away,” she said. “It just allows the local governments to become eligible for those grants. Here in Rockdale this amendment is a first step and there is a lengthy application process.”

Based on FEMA’s 180-page Hazard Mitigation Assistance, Unified Guidance Manual, property that would qualify for a buy out for repetitive claims would have to meet several requirements including severe repetitive loss, sustaining severe damage over 50 percent of replacement value of the structure and be within the county’s 100-year flood plain.

Once submitted, a grant application usually takes one to two years to complete, Pearrell said.

FEMA maintains current flood plain maps at its Web site, www.fema.gov. Residents with questions can call Kent Asher, the county’s flood plain manager, at 770-278-7080, or e-mail him at kent.asher@rockdalecounty.org.