Facts & Info regarding the NFIP in Mathews County VA And the Mathews County Floodplain Management Ordinance

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1 Facts & Info regarding the NFIP in Mathews County VA And the Mathews County Floodplain Management Ordinance As of : Current NFIP policies in Mathews County = 1687 NFIP Claims= 1127, for a total of 20.5 million dollars Number of parcels (or portions of a parcel) in SFHZ= 6173 Total number of parcels in the County= Number of addressed structures in SFHZ= 1844 (This does not include numerous other non-addressed structures) Total number of addressed structure in County: 6226 Number of acres in SFHZ = 16,400 Total number of acres in County = 54,600 The following will be effected by the new Floodplain Management Ordinance: 1. All new construction 2. All substantially damaged or substantially improved structures All other existing properties or structures will not be effected. Historic Structures will NOT be effected. Two reasons why the Floodplain Management Ordinance must be updated: 1. We are required or mandated by FEMA-NFIP to update/revise our Ordinance to ensure our continued participation in the NFIP. This will ensure the county and its residents are: eligible for flood insurance the county will also be eligible for federal disaster aid the county s residents will also be able to secure federally backed mortgages the county can continue to receive HMG funds to assist in elevation projects, etc 2. The second reason why we need to update our ordinance is: the current ordinance does not meet minimum FEMA-NFIP requirements the current ordinance is not consistent with current state building code requirements (USBC) Page 1 of 6

2 We have two basic options when we update and revise our current Floodplain Management Ordinance: 1. We can adopt the minimum requirements mandated by FEMA or- 2. We can add additional requirements to ensure we have a safer, stronger and more resilient community. This will lessen the chance of flood damage and is highly recommended by FEMA and the NFIP. This option will also lower flood insurance rates for these properties. My recommendation is to add a one foot freeboard requirement to the minimum elevation requirements in all flood zones. Some flood zones already have freeboard requirements in the state building code and the new FEMA-NFIP regulations. In addition, FEMA requires all HMGP elevation projects add a one foot freeboard when designing the foundation. This will ensure these structures have a much less chance of being damaged during a flood. This will also significantly reduce the cost of flood insurance. The other recommendation is to require all construction in the new Coastal A or LiMWA zone to meet the same requirements as the VE or Coastal High Hazard zone. VE zones have different construction requirements due to the threat of waves greater than 3 feet. The new Coastal A or LiMWA zone has anticipated wave heights between 1.5 and 3 feet. I see no difference in a 2.8 foot wave impact as opposed to a 3.1 foot wave impact; both will cause significant damage. I strongly believe we should have the same requirements in both of these zones; in my opinion both are Coastal High Hazard zones. As part of FEMA s grant program all structures in a Coastal A Zone must be designed using VE standards. The Virginia Building and Code Officials Association (Region VII) also supports using VE construction standards in a Coastal A zone. This is the region group of Building Officials that encompasses southeastern Virginia. The 2015 IRC will also require VE standards in Coastal A zones (the next state building code update). Freeboard is defined by FEMA: A factor of safety expressed in feet above a flood level (BFE) for the purposes of floodplain management. "Freeboard" tends to compensate for the many unknown factors. Freeboard results in significantly lower flood insurance rates due to lower flood risk. Basically freeboard adds (in our case) 12 inches to the foundation elevation or the elevation of the lowest horizontal structural member. Page 2 of 6

3 FEMA strongly supports adding Freeboard into local Floodplain Management ordinances; FEMA also has stated in numerous documents the BFE listed on the FIRM s (flood maps) is merely an estimate and should not be fully relied on for flood design or flood protection measures. We are currently the recipient of numerous HMGP funds; we are receiving funds to elevate numerous properties. FEMA already requires higher standards, including a one foot freeboard when performing these elevation projects. The following groups or agencies support freeboard and recommend its use: FEMA and the NFIP The State of Virginia DCR (the State s Floodplain Coordinator and rep to the NFIP) The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) The MPPDC (part of its hazard mitigation strategy) The USA Corps of Engineers (USACOE) The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (DisasterSafety.org). The Silver Jackets CRS (The Community Rating System); a part of FEMA and the NFIP Including the Hampton Roads Chapter of the CRS The Association of State Floodplain Managers The Virginia Association of Floodplain Managers Wetland Watch The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) The Commonwealth of Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan prepared by VDEM recommends including freeboard in local ordinances as one of its mitigation actions. Per VDEM 107 local jurisdictions include at least a one freeboard in their ordinances. The Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission (MPPDC) recommends adding freeboard to local ordinances as one of its hazard mitigation strategies. The number one way to reduce and prevent flood damage is to incorporate Freeboard into our Floodplain Management Ordinance. Freeboard is also the number one way to reduce flood insurance premiums. Page 3 of 6

4 Note: If the lowest floor is elevated to only the BFE (no freeboard included): All materials below must be flood resistant (framing, etc) No electrical or mechanical systems can be installed below the BFE (Unless they are flood proofed to prevent the entry of flood waters) Both of these requirements will increase the cost of construction and make it more difficult on anyone building at this level. The following are some of the current freeboard requirements in other local jurisdictions: Gloucester = 2 feet Middlesex = 1 foot Poquoson = current = 1 foot; proposed = 3 feet Lancaster = 1.5 feet; proposed = 3 feet Norfolk = 3 feet; Hampton is also going to 3 feet York County = 1.5 feet Northampton County = 1 foot New Kent County = 1.5 feet King William County = 1 foot There is no reason Mathews County should be the only jurisdiction in Coastal Virginia that does not recognize the inherent danger of flooding and institute a Freeboard requirement. The County of Mathews has over 150 repetitive loss structures within its boundary. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result does not work. In the past, these structures were re-built at or below the BFE; and they continue to suffer from repetitive flood damage. Incorporating a one foot freeboard into the reconstruction of substantially damaged properties (including repetitive loss properties) will significantly reduce the chance of flood damage occurring over and over again. Page 4 of 6

5 Schematic showing various flood zones in Mathews County Storm Surge map developed by VDEM Page 5 of 6

6 Summary Adding a one foot freeboard requirement to new construction and substantially improved or damaged structures: 1. Will decrease the chance property will be damaged or flooded 2. Will account for unknown and unexpected increases in the flood level (BFE) 3. Will significantly decrease the cost of flood insurance for our residents 4. Will ensure we have a safer, stronger and more resilient community 5. Will create consistency in all flood zones between the state building code, ASCE 24 requirements, FEMA grant requirements, etc 6. Will NOT have an effect on existing (pre-firm) structures 7. Will NOT have an effect on Historical Properties The only difference in having a one foot freeboard requirement in our ordinance is the foundation will be constructed 12 inches above the BFE. Using VE construction standards in Coastal A zones will be required in the next state building code update; is required by FEMA when participating in a hazard grant program (elevation projects funded by FEMA), and is mandatory when using ASCE 24 (the design manual for engineers, RDPs, etc). Page 6 of 6