Impacts of CharlotteCharlotte-Mecklenburg
Flood Map Revisions
An Overview for Realtors
January 2013
Bill Tingle, CFM, PG
Melonee Brock, CFM
Overview





Floodplain Basics & Background
Floodplains in CharlotteCharlotte-Mecklenburg
Finding Floodplain Information
Flood Insurance
Fl d
Floodprone
B ildi
Buildings
Watersheds


“Top of the hill”
Charlotte - 5% of
land area is within a
floodplain
p
What is a Floodplain ?
Floodplains are those areas commonly
inundated by flooding. Floods result when
water runoff exceeds the capacity of stream
and river channels or lake basins.
FEMA Map
Drains One
Square Mile
Area
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
What is 100100- Year Flood?
A
flood that has a 1% (1in 100)
chance of occurring in any year.
Floodplains vs. “100+1’
100 1 Flood Lines”
Lines
“100+1’
100+1 Flood Line”
Line or
“Building Restriction Floodline
Floodline”” or
“Stormwater
St
t Elevation
El
ti Li
Line””
 Smaller Creeks (less 1 sq. mi.)
 100
100--year+1ft - Subdivision Ordinances
 No Flood Insurance Required
Floodplains vs Buffers


Buffer - Improve Water Quality
- Limit Impervious Areas
- Limit Vegetation/Tree Removal
- Zoning
Fl d l i - Safety
Floodplain
S f t From
F
Flood
Fl d Damage
D
- Restrict Placement of Fill In
Floodway
- Ensure Buildings are Elevated
New Floodplain Maps

Revised Floodplain Elevations and Widths
 Briar,
B i Littl
Little S
Sugar, McAlpine
M Al i , McMullen
McAlpine,
M M ll
Creeks Preliminary Maps Complete
 Overall, Floodplain Widths and Depths
Going Down
 Maps for Other Creeks Will Follow
2016
2014
2013
Sources of Floodplain Information
(M
(Maps)
)




POLARIS (Mecklenburg County Website)
3D Flood Zone Application ((Storm Water Services
Website)
Paper FIRM Maps (FEMA, County Storm Water
Services)
Subdivision Recorded Maps (Flood
(Flood Info could be
outdated if maps have changed
changed))
Existing Landuse:
Future Landuse (ultimate buildout):
Major Regulations Impacting Buildings
New Construction


Lowest Floor and Mechanical Equipment 1’
Above Future Flood Level
Very Restricted Development in “FEMA
Floodway”” and “Community Encroachment
Floodway
Encroachment””
Areas
Areas
Improvements/Additions to
Fl d
Floodprone
Buildings
B ildi
Substantial Improvement
One Improvement over 50% of Building
Value
or
Two
T
Improvements
I
t within
ithi a 1010-year
Period, Each Over 25% of Building
V l
Value
Improvements/Additions to
Fl d
Floodprone
Buildings
B ildi
If Substantial Improvement

Improvements as well as Existing
Floors Must be Raised to Flood
Protection Elevations
Flood Insurance

Required
q
if Building
g
Footprint Located in FEMA
Floodplain and Mortgage

Not Required if Building in
Community Floodplain

Rate Based on Difference
Between Lowest Floor and
FEMA Flood
Fl d Elevation
El
ti
Flood Insurance (Cont
(Cont.))





Anyone Can Buy Flood Insurance in Charlotte
Charlotte-Mecklenburg
CRS – 25% Discount in Charlotte
20% Discount Mecklenburg & Pineville
Flood Insurance Requirement Can Be
Removed With FEMA Letter (LOMA, LOMRLOMRFill))
LOMA, LOMRLOMR-Fill - Shown on 3D FloodZone
Website
Flood Determination Companies
How To Remove Flood Insurance
R
Requirement
i

FEMA Letter (LOMA,
(LOMA LOMRLOMR-Fill
Fill))
 Surveyor must determine elevation of
lowest adjacent grade (LAG) of
building
 If LAG is
i above
b
FEMA BFE – Flood
Fl d
Insurance not required
 LOMA – Ground not raised by fill dirt
 LOMR
LOMR--F – Fill has been p
placed to raise
building
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Flood Insurance
Cost Comparison
Cost Comparison


Single family
structure, no
basement,, Post
PostFIRM, Zone AE
Coverage:
g
Structure $150,000
Contents
$0
Insurance Premiums
Post--FIRM
Post
Lowest Floor
Elevation
4-feet
f t above
b
BFE
3-feet above BFE
2-feet above BFE
1-foot above BFE
At BFE
1-foot below BFE
2-feet or more
below
Annual
Premium
$260
$290
$370
$560
$1,230
$1 230
$3,550
submit to rate
Pre-FIRM Building
BFE 605.0’
LOWEST FLOOR
600.0
600.0’
Pre FIRM
Rate = $1,260
Pre-FIRM
Pre
FIRM Flood Insurance Rates
- Buildings Constructed before First
FIRM MAP
- 8/15/1978 for Charlotte
- Rates don’t account
acco nt for depth of
flooding
- basement or no basement
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Flood Insurance Rates
Will Be Increasing Dramatically
Beginning
eg
g NOW
O
- 2nd Homes,
Homes No Pre FIRM
- Businesses, No Pre
Pre--FIRM
- Grandfathering Changes
- Others
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Floodprone Buildings

FEMA (Existing Land Use) Floodplain
•4000 +/- buildings
700 flood into living space (estimate)
•700
•Most
Most Built Before Floodplain Maps
(Pre- 1978)
How to Find
Detailed Floodplain
Information on
Polaris 3G
G
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Enter Address or
Parcel Number,, Click
Result
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Click “Overlays”
y and then
select “Community &
FEMA Floodplains”
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Click “Go to
Details”
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
POLARIS Shows
Community Floodplain
and
FEMA Floodplain
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
POLARIS Does Not Show
Community Encroachment Area
or
FEMA Floodway Encroachment
Area (Additional Restrictions
Apply)
1. Drag slider bar to
bottom
2. Click On “Floodplain, Zoning, &
Watershed Information”
Information
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Click on this “Get More
Information”
This Will Take You to the
Flood Zone Interactive
Mapping Site That Provides
3. Click On “Link to 3D Floodzone
More Detailed Floodplain
Interactive Mapping”
Information.
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
3d FloodZone Interactive
M
Mapping
i W
Website
b it
http://mapserver.
mecklenburgcountync gov/3dfz
mecklenburgcountync.gov/3dfz
/
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Communicating Flood Risk

Not just “in or out” of floodplain
 More info on actual risk




How deep is water?
What is the chance of flooding in a year or during
a 3030-year mortgage?
Where are the smaller floodplain limits?
Expected
p
dollar damage
g p
per yyear from
flooding
 What options are available to reduce
potential damage from flooding?
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
The Risk is Real… Be PREPARED!
Thank You
Bill Tingle, CFM, PG
Floodplain Administrator