Item 8AAGENDA 1TEM 1! 8A
AUGUST 9, 2010
City of Atlantic Beach
City Commission Meeting
Staff Report
AGENDA ITEM: National Flood Insurance 5 year audit
FROM: Michael Griffin, CBO, CFM, Building Official
DATE: July 27, 2010
On July 14, 2010, the City received results of the Insurance Services Office Community Rating
System (CRS) program Apri121, 2009, audit. The City of Atlantic Beach will receive a CRS Class
7 rating which is a reduction (improvement) from the current Class 8 rating. Each point reduction
allows a 5% decrease in flood insurance for policy holders; the overall result is a 15% reduction
for the citizens of Atlantic Beach. Activity program points received are indicated below along with
new points received for this review period. As indicated, the improved rating is the result of effort
provided by several City departments including Public Works, Information Technology, Planning
and Building. The Building Department coordinates the CRS program with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
Previous Class 8 rating number of points obtained - 1197
New Class 7 rating number of points obtained- 1889
Below is an explanation of activities the City participates in and an explanation of additional points
received for the improved rating.
Activity 310 -Elevation Certificate - 56 total points
Credit was received for the Building Department requiring and maintaining elevation certificates
for new or substantially improved buildings.
Activity 320 -Map Information Service -140 total points
Credit was received for the Building Department providing inquirers with information about the
City's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), for publicizing the service annually and maintaining
records.
Activity 330 -Outreach Projects -17 total points (5 additional points)
Credit was received for Building Department creating a flood information brochure and displaying
at counter.
Activity 350 Flood Protection- 73 total points (63 additional points)
Credit was received for the Building Department and Information Technology Division posting the
City's website with information regarding flood protection information.
AGENDA ITEM # 8A
AUGUST 9, 2010
Activity 420 Open Space Preservation - 641 total points (182 additional points)
Credit was received for the Planning Department efforts to create a significant amount of Open
Space zoning and preserve land in a natural state.
Activity 430 Higher Regulatory Standards - 221 total points (112 additional points)
Credit was received for scoring 3/3 on the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule,
freeboard standards (2.5 feet above base flood elevation), and the Public Works Department
enforcing floodplain storage capacity standards.
Activity 440 Flood Data Maintenance -133 new points
New credit was received for using the City of Jacksonville digitized flood maps in the day to day
management of the floodplain.
Activity 450 Stormwater Management - 322 total points (178 additional points)
Credit was received for Public Works Department enforcement of Stormwater management
regulations and soil and erosion control measures and Building Department enforcement of
freeboard in non-SFHA areas.
Activity 540 Drainage System Maintenance - 215 total points (15 additional points)
Credit was received for Public Works Department maintenance of the City's drainage system.
Activity 630 Dam Safety - 71 points (4 additional points)
Additional credit was received for the State's dam safety program.
BUDGET: No budget issues
ATTACHMENTS: Letter dated July 14, 2010 from U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Agency
REVIEWED BY CITY MANAGEB:~
2
AGENDA ITEM # 8A
AUGUST 9, 2010
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
500 C Street. SW
Washington, DC 20472
JUL 1 4 Zp~p
3ames Hanson
Atlantic Beach City Manager
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
Dear Mr. Hanson:
5
s ~~ FEMA
~6~'~ND 9fi~'J
Congratulations! The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
has determined that your community will increase to a Class 7 in the National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). The floodplain management activities implemented by your
community qualify it fora 15 percent discount in the premium cost of flood insurance for NFIl' policies
issued or renewed in Special Flood Hazard Areas on or after May 1, 2010. This increase is based on a field
verification of your five-year cycle CRS application. I am enclosing the field verification report showing the
results of your application review for your records.
Please note Preferred Risk Policies, applicable in Zones B, C, and X, on your community's NFIl' Flood
Insurance Rate Map are not eligible for the CRS discount. Standard rated flood insurance policies in Zones
B, C, X, D, AR, and A99 are limited to a CRS discount often percent in Class 1-6 communities and five
percent in Class 7-9 communities. The rates for these zones already reflect significant premium reductions.
If there are no NFIP noncompliance actions, the CRS rating for your community will automatically be
renewed annually and a notification letter will not be sent to your community. This renewal will occur as
long as your community continues to implement the CRS activities you certify each October. If no additional
modifications or new CRS activities are added, the next verification visit for your community will be in
accordance with its established five-year cycle or three-year cycle for CRS Class 5 or better communities. In
the interim, FEMA will periodically send the NFIP/CRS Update Newsletter and other notices to your CRS
Coordinator to keep your community informed.
I commend you on your community actions and your determination to lead your community to be more
disaster resistant. This commitment enhances public safety, property protection, and protects the natural
functions of floodplains, and reduces flood insurance premiums.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the FEMA Region N Office, CRS
Coordinator, Janice Mitchell, by telephone at (770) 220-5441.
Sincerely,
~,~
~~ ~ y V
Enclosure
cc: Mike Griffin, CBO, CFM, CRS Coordinator
Sandra K. Knight, PhD, PE
Deputy Federal Insurance and
Mitigation Administrator, Mitigation
www.fema.gov
AGENDA ITEM # 8A
AUGUST 9, 2010
COMMUNITY VERIFICATION
RATING
NFIP/CRS SYSTEM REPORT
City of Atlantic Beach, FL Verified Class 7
NFIP Number: 120075 Cycle
Date of Verification Visit: Apri 21, 2009
This Verification Report is provided to explain the recommendations of Insurance
Services Office, Inc. (ISO) to DHS/FEMA concerning credits under the Community
Rating System (CRS) for the above named community.
A total of 1889 credit points are verified which results in a recommendation that the
community improve from a CRS Class 8 to a CRS Class 7. The community has met the
Class 7 prerequisite with a Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS)
Classification of 3/3. The following is a summary of our findings with the total CRS
credit points for each activity listed in parenthesis:
Activity 310 -Elevation Certificates: The Building Department maintains elevation
certificates for new and substantially improved buildings. Copies of elevation
certificates are made available upon request. (56 points}
Activity 320 -Map Information Service: Credit is provided for furnishing inquirers
with flood zone information from the community's latest Flood Insurance Rate Map
(FIRM), publicizing the service annually and maintaining records. (140 points)
Activity 330 -Outreach Projects: A community brochure is displayed at public
buildings. (17 points)
Activity 350 -Flood Protection Information: Documents relating to floodplain
management are available in the reference section of the Jacksonville Public Library.
Credit is also provided for floodplain information displayed on the community's website.
(73 points)
Activity 420 -Open Space Preservation: Credit is provided for preserving
approximately 569 acres in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as open space.
Credit is alsa provided for open space land that is preserved in a natural state:
(641 points)
Activity 430 -Higher Res~ulatory Standards: Credit is provided for enforcing
regulations that require protection of floodplain storage capacity, other higher regulatory
standards, state mandated regulatory standards and for enforcing the Florida Building
Code. Credit is also provided for a Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule
(BCEGS) Classification of 3/3. (221 points)
AGENDA ITEM # 8A
AUGUST 9, 2010
City of Atlantic Beach, FL Page 2
NFIP #: 120Q75
Activity 440 -Flood Data Maintenance: Credit is provided for maintaining and using
digitized maps in the day to day management of the floodplain. (133 points)
Activity 450 - Stormwater Management• The community enforces regulations for
stormwater management, freeboard in non-SERA zones, soil and erosion control, and
water quality. (322 points)
Section 502 -Repetitive Loss Categorv• Based on the updates made to the NFIP
Report of Repetitive Losses as of September 30, 2008, the City of Atlantic Beach has 3
repetitive loss properties and is a Category B community for CRS- purposes. All
requirements for a Category B community have been met. (No credit points are
applicable to this section)
Activity 540 -Drainage System Maintenance• All of the community's drainage
system is inspected regularly throughout the year and maintenance is performed as
needed by the City of Atlantic Beach Public Works Department. Records are being
maintained for both inspections and required maintenance. (215 points)
Activity 630 -Dam Safety: All Florida communities currently receive CRS credit for
the state's dam safety program. (71 points)
Attached is the Community Calculations Worksheet that lists the verified credit points for
the Community Rating System.
CEO Name /Address:
James Hanson
City Manager
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
CRS Coordinator Name /Address:
Michael Griffin, CBO
Building Official
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
(904) 247-5826
Date Report Prepared: October 8, 2009
AGENDA ITEM # 8A
AUGUST 9, 2010
Community : City of Atlantic Beach, FL NFIP Number : 120075
720 COMMUNITY CREDIT CALCULATIONS (Cycle):
CALCULATION SECTION
Verified Activity Calculations: Credit
c310 56 56
c320 140 140
c330 17 17
c340
c350 73 73
c360
c410 x CGA =
c420 567 x CGA 1.13 = 641
c430 196 x CGA 1.13 = 221
c440 118 x CGA 1.13 = 133
c450 285 x CGA 1.13 = 322
c510
c520
c530
c540 215 215
c610
c620
c630 71 ~~
722 Community Classification Calculation:
cT =total of above cT = 1889
Community Classification (from Appendix C): Class = 7
CEO Name/Address: CRS Coordinator Name/Address:
James Hanson
City Manager
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
Date Report Prepared: October 8, 2009
Michael Griffin, CRO
Building Official
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
(904) 247-5826
AW-720