As I have mentioned before, it’s so nice that Nature and probability bend to the whims of property developers and their Town Fathers, with the willing participation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). If you had property at risk near waters or wetlands, wouldn’t you like it if FEMA just happened to redraw the flood zone boundaries to skirt the outside of your property?

That’s apparently what they did for the Town of Westwood and its University Station mall/shopping center/natural eyesore.

This is the new (2012) flood zone map, actually revised after some exchange of correspondence between the Westwood Board of Selectman and FEMA:

This was the original “old” flood zone map:

And you can see the differences with both superimposed:

And this shows the University Station development:

(Click on image for larger photo)

How handy for the property owners and their tenants to not have to pay for flood risk insurance! Just close your eyes, make a wish, and, wow, the risk just disappears.