As a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), your community is required to follow various rules, such as requiring permits for all development in the V and A zones (as mapped on your community’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps). Development includes “any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials.” Adding NFIP requirements to your local bylaws/ordinances and associated regulations can help increase compliance, ensure your community remains in good standing under the NFIP, and decrease unnecessary confusion among permit applicants, as well as boards and departments.
The Florida Department of Emergency Management has a model floodplain ordinance that communities may adopt (PDF).
Alternatively, FEMA recommends adding the following language to local regulations:
The base flood elevations used for the purpose of administering this ordinance shall be established by the Building Official (or Floodplain Administrator) using Stillwater elevations (SWEL) and methodology described in FEMA’s Flood Recovery Guidance for _________ Parish, dated ______. The Flood Recovery Guidance shall also be used by the Building Official as the basis for determining the landward boundary of the floodplain.
Questions? Contact the your NFIP Coordinator:
Alabama
Corey Garyotis, PE, CFM
Alabama Dept. of Economic and Community Affairs
Office of Water Resources
401 Adams Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-353-0853
corey.garyotis@adeca.alabama.gov
Florida
Steve Martin, CFM
Florida Div. Emerg. Mgmt.
2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100
850-815-4505
steve.martin@em.myflorida.com
Louisiana
Cindy O’Neal, CFM
Louisiana Dept. of Transportation & Dev.
P.O. Box 94245
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9425
225-379-3005 FAX 225-379-3002
cindy.oneal@la.gov
Mississippi
Stacey Ricks, CFM
Mississippi Emerg. Mgmt. Agency – Office of Mitigation
P.O. Box 5644
Pearl, MS 39208
601-933-6610 FAX: 601-933-6805
sricks@mema.ms.gov
Texas
Michael Segner, CFM
Texas Water Development Board
1700 North Congress Avenue
P.O. Box 13231
Austin, TX 78711-3231
512-463-3509 FAX 512-475-2053
michael.segner@twdb.texas.gov