Floodplain Management
in the Post Disaster
Environment
October 2011
FEMA Region III
Course Outline
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Background of the NFIP
Mapping
The Permitting Process
Your Floodplain Management Ordinance
BREAK
Substantial Damage/Improvement
Higher Standards
Insurance at a Glance
Legal Concerns
Post Disaster Outreach
Long Term Recovery
Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
Floodplain Management
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The Evolution of the NFIP
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Goals of the NFIP
1. Save lives and reduce flood
damage to insurable property,
2. Offer low cost flood insurance
3. Encourage a comprehensive
approach to floodplain
management.
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Benefits of Flood Insurance
ANYONE in a NFIP
participating community can
buy flood insurance!
Can you describe the
differences between flood
insurance and disaster
assistance?
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Types of Flood Damage
 Hydrodynamic forces
 Hydrostatic forces
 Debris impact
 Soaking
 Sediment and contaminants
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Mapping
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Flood Insurance Study - FIS
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Mapping
 Where to look at preliminary maps:
http://www.rampp-team.com/pa.htm
 Existing maps at FEMA Map Services Center:
http://www.msc.fema.gov
 How to make a FIRMette:
http://www.rampp-team.com/documents/region3/
how_to_create_a_firmette.pdf
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Letters of Map Change LOMCs
 Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA)
 Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR)
 Letter of Map Revision (LOMR)
 Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F)
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Federal Minimum Requirements
 Require permits
 Elevate residential & elevate/dry flood proof nonresidential structures
 Use flood resistant materials
 Elevate and anchor utilities
 Limit development in floodways
 Minimize/eliminate flood damage
to public utilities/facilities
 Anchor all structures
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What Is “Development”
 Modifications or improvements to structures, excavation, filling,
paving, drilling, driving of piles, mining, dredging, land clearing,
grading and the permanent storage of materials/equipment.
 ALSO covers replacement of utilities, including wiring, hot
water heaters, HVAC, etc.
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Permitting
 Application form needs to include Federal minimums, State
and your local ordinance requirements
 Get a site plan
 Does it have a floodplain determination?
 Review for completeness and compliance
 Post Disaster you can waive fees but not permitting
requirements!
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Permit Sample
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Elevation to the BFE
 At a minimum you must elevate the
lowest floor to the BFE
 Freeboard is a margin of safety
above that
 NO BASEMENTS in the SFHA
 How do you establish BFEs in an
un-numbered A zone?
 Elevate and anchor utilities too
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Floodproofing
 Only for non-residential or historic structures
 Must be certified by a registered architect or engineer
 Dry-floodproofing vs wet-floodproofing
 Utilities can be floodproofed too
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Floodways
Until a regulatory floodway is
designated, no new construction,
substantial improvements, or other
development shall be permitted
unless it is demonstrated that the
cumulative effect of the proposed
development, when combined with
all other existing and anticipated
development, will not increase the
water surface elevation of the base
flood more than 1.0 foot at any
point within the community.
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Openings
 Prevent hydrostatic flood forces from collapsing
the foundation by allowing water pressure to
equalize on either side of the wall.
 A minimum of 2 openings on 2 different walls
with one square inch of surface for every square
foot of enclosed space. 150 square feet = 150
inches.
 Bottom of openings must be located no higher
than 1 foot above grade.
 Can be fitted with screens or louvers that allow
the AUTOMATIC entry and exit of water.
 Engineered openings are acceptable with
certification.
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Fill in the Floodplain
 No fill shall be permitted unless it meets the requirements of
your ordinance. All fill placed in the special flood hazard area
shall meet or exceed the standards in your ordinance
 Fill shall be used only to the extent to which it does not
adversely affect adjacent properties.
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Manufactured Homes and
Recreational Vehicles
 Communities may elect to PROHIBIT manufactured homes in
the SFHA.
 Examine your pre-existing structure language and floodplain
ordinance for options to prevent replacing a substantially
damaged manufactured home with a replacement one.
 Must be placed on a permanent foundation, at least 18 inches
above BFE, properly anchored to resist flotation, collapse or
lateral movement.
 Recreational Vehicles: on site less than 180 days, licensed
and road-ready OR meet manufactured homes guidelines
above.
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BREAK
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PA Suggested Provisions
 Largely minimum requirements
for NFIP & Act 166
 Higher standards include:
 1 ½ feet of freeboard
 Restrictions on hazardous
material storage
 Regulated high risk land uses
(including manufactured
homes)
 50 foot Setbacks/ Buffers
 Repetitive Loss
 Conservation/open space
area
 Estimate BFE in Zone A
 Lower threshold for SD
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Community Identified Flood Areas
 The __(Community)___ may
identify and regulate new
local flood hazard or ponding
areas. These areas may be
delineated on a “Local Flood
Hazard Map” using best
available topographic data
and locally derived
information such as flood of
record, historic high water
marks or approximate study
methodologies.
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Subdivision Restrictions
 Lower threshold for BFE
determination from 50
lots and 5 acres
 Require each lot to have
a portion of land outside
the SFHA
280
275
Zone A
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Non Conversion Agreements
A Non Conversion
Agreement shall be signed
by the applicant whenever
the community determines
that the area below the first
floor could be converted to a
non-conforming use
(generally applies to
enclosed areas below base
flood elevation that are 5 ft.
high or more).
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Historic Structures
Communities have the option of
using either provision (exclusion
from substantial
damage/improvement definition
OR variance) for addressing the
unique needs of “historic
structures.”
Relying on the variance option
gives a community more control
over which floodplain safety
methods are incorporated into
the design.
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Verification of Compliance
 As Built Elevation
Certificates
 CLOMR/LOMR
 Certificate of Occupancy
compared to Certificate of
Compliance
 Permanent Utility
Connection
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Substantial Improvement/Damage
 The threshold is 50% of fair
market value. How do you
determine market value?
 Use a Substantial Damage
Estimator
 Community must determine
whether property can be
restored or must meet current
ordinance requirements.
 Consider adding cumulative
language to your ordinance
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Substantial Damage Determination
Assess Damage
Make Substantial
Damage
Determinations
Notify Damaged
Structures of
Ordinance
Requirements
Less Than
Substantially
Damaged
Use Flood
Resistant Materials
Below BFE
Elevate Utilities At
or Above BFE
Substantially
Damaged
Use Flood
Resistant Materials
Below BFE
Elevate Utilities At
or Above BFE
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Elevate Lowest
Floor At or Above
BFE
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Sample
Substantial
Damage Letter
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Freeboard
 NFIP premiums based on October 2011 rates
 One-floor residential structure with no basement built Post-FIRM
 $250,000 coverage for the building and $100,000 for contents
 At BFE Insurance Premium: $1,315 building, $380 contents
Zone AE
Annual NFIP
Insurance Savings
Savings Over 30
Year Mortgage
1 ft. below BFE
-$3,415
-$102,450
At BFE
0
0
1 ft. freeboard
$675(49%)
$20,250
2 ft. freeboard
$911 (69%)
$27,330
3 ft. freeboard
$983 (75%)
$29,490
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Insurance at a Glance
 Anyone in a NFIP participating community can get flood
insurance
 All properties with federally backed mortgages that are located
in the SFHA must carry flood insurance.
 Elevation Certificates are needed for ratings
 Non compliant structures will pay more!
 Pre FIRM vs Post FIRM
w
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www.floodsmart.gov
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Increased Cost of Compliance - ICC
 Property must be insured
through the NFIP
 Structure must be in the
Special Flood Hazard Area
(SFHA)
 Structure must be
substantially damaged
 Eligible for up to $30,000 to
elevate (floodproof if
nonresidential), move or
demolish the structure
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Legal Concerns
 What is a regulatory “taking?”
 Keep repeating “health, safety and welfare….”
 Make sure your ordinance is written clearly and concisely.
 Enforce it uniformly and fairly.
 In doubt? Get legal advice from your licensed attorney
that works for your community.
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Long Term Recovery
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Roles and Responsibilities
 You are the “face” of your community’s floodplain management
program but use a team approach
 Ensure permitting, zoning, building inspections are happening
in accordance with your ordinance
 Take advantage of training opportunities; E273 at the
Emergency Management Institute (or field deployed
equivalent), Advanced Floodplain Management, CRS, HAZUS,
http://training.fema.gov/EMI/
 Third Party Contractors
 Intergovernmental agreements or MOU
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Quiz Time!
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Why have a Floodplain Ordinance?
Who has to enforce the Floodplain Ordinance?
What is a non-conversion agreement?
Per FEMA’s guidelines how high does the first floor have to be
in a residential home in the SFHA?
What is freeboard?
What is the difference between a Floodway and Floodplain?
Is a “dry stack block” foundation OK in the SFHA?
How long can a RV remain in one spot without being moved?
What is the requirement for an opening?
Who can you call for help?
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Questions?
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