Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 10-14-03 regular Council agenda — reading text

L/' o(J../' To: Joyce Shanahan, Interim City Manage~ I Through: Missy McKim, Director, CDS ~ From: Malcolm H.Foley, AICP, Zoning & Building, Supervisor Linda Carnley, Building Official Nancy McDonald, Chief Engineering Technician Subject: ORDINANCE # 1571 - FLOOD DAMAGE PROTECTION MPB File 0#3- 35- LD) REOUEST: Consider Ordinance # 1571 on First Reading. The Municipal Planning Board recommended approval on October 2, 2003 by a vote of 7 -0. BACKGROUND: The City of Fort Walton Beach participates in a floodplain management program in order to provide residents of the city reductions on flood insurance premiums. As part of that participation, the City has been rated as a Community Rating System " class 7" community, thus entitling residents to a 15% reduction on flood insurance premiums. Periodically, the Department of Community Affairs through a representative of the State Assistance Office for the National Flood Insurance Program N ( FIP) conducts a review ofthe City' s administration and enforcement of its floodplain management regulations. Based on that review, the City is adequately administering and enforcing the regulations~ .however, a minor technical deficiency exists in the definitions of the City' s land development code. DISCUSSION: In order to update the land development code and ensure the City' s continued participation in the CRS program, Ordinance 1571, has been drafted to meet the minimum NFIP regulatory standards by providing the required definition for " lowest floor" as outlined in the attached letter ITom DCA. The new definition is located on page 3 at lines 137 through 143 of the attached amending ordinance. By design and upon adoption of the amending ordinance, the city' s flood plain management ordinance will be in compliance and residents will continue to be entitled to the reduction on flood insurance premiums. RECOMMENDATION: The Municipal Planning Board recommends approval of Ordinance # 15 71 on First Reading. Attachments: 1. Letter from DCA dated 9/1 0103 2. Draft Ordinance # 1571 3. Letter of Sufficiency ITom City Attorney, Toni Craig 4. Minutes of Municipal Planning BQard meeting of Thursday, October 2, 2003 MHF\cc2003\ OrdI571.mpbrecccl 0 1403 I of I - Ordinance # 1571 - CC 10/ 14/ 03 u--:; A ,./ f.  RECEIVID SEP 1 9 2003 Os STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT' OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Dedicated to making Florida a better place to call home" COllEEN CASTILLE IEB BUSH Governor Secretary September 10, 2003 The Honorable Glenda Glover, Mayor City of Fort Walton Beach 107 Miracle Strip Parkway Post Office Box 4009 Fort Walton Beach, Florida 34954 Dear Mayor Glover: This is to summarize the Community Assistance Contact ( CAe),which was conducted on the The CAC was conducted City of Fort Walton Beach Floodplain Management Program on July 22, 2003. by Joseph Johnson of our State Assistance Office for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The of the city' s administration and enforcement of its . purpose of the CAC was to assess the effectiveness floodplain management regulations. Additionally, the CAC provides an opportunity to maintain periodic Contact with local gev-emments participating in the NFIP so that our office may provide technical assistance and coordination, as necessary. The CAC oonsisted of a meeting with Ms. Linda Carnley, discussions focused on Building Official and Mr. Malcolm Foley, Zoning and Building Supervisor. The V, Flood Prevention, of the city' s Code of Chapter 20; Land Development Regulations, Article Damage Ordinances and Section 60.3 ( e) of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations. Our evaluation of the city' s floodplain management program is discussed below. Based upon our discussions with your staff, a tour of the SFHAs and documentation provided and enforcing its during our review of the building permit files, the city is adequately administering floodplain management regulations. However, there exist a minor technical deficiency in the City of Fort Walton Beach' s Flood Ordinance. The specific nature of that deficiency, as well as recommended improvements are provided below. Deficiency I. Section 6. 03. 04, should include a definition for the term " lowest floor" defined as ( 44 CFR, Section 59.1); The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area ( including basement). An unfinished or flood in resistant enclosure, usable solely for the parking of vehicles, building access or storage an area other than a base area is not considered a buildings lowest floor; Provided, that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation o/ the applicable non- elevation design requirements. " 2555 SHUMARD OAK BOULEVARD . TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399- 2100 Phone: 850.488. 8466/ Suncom 278. 8466 FAX: 850. 921.0781/ Suncom 291. 0781 In te rnet add ress: htto: llwww. dca. state. fl. us COMMUNITY PLANNING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HOUSING &. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CRITICAL STATE CONCERN FIELD OFFICE 2555 Shumard Oak 80ulevard 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard 2796 Overseas Highway, Suite 212 Tallahassee. Fl32399. 2100 Tallahassee, FL 32399. 2100 Tallahassee, FL 32399. 21 00 Marathon, Fl 3305D-2227 850) 488-23S6 850) 413-9969 850) 488-7956 305) 289.2402 The Honorable Glenda Glover September 10, 2003 Page Two Pursuant to Title 44, CFR, Section 59. 2 of the NFIP minimum regulations, these corrections 30, 2003. should be adopted and a certified copy of the ordinance provided to this office by October of Ii local Failure to meet this deadline may affect the city' s continued participation in the NFIP. Adoption ordinance that meets the minimum NFIP regulatory standards is required for continued participation. We would like to acknowledge Ms. Carnley' s performance which has resulted in an effective and toward well coordinated floodplain management program. We encourage your efforts directed CRS) As be aware, the CRS is an participationin theCommunity Rating System ( program. you may in communities incentive program that provides reductions in flood insurance premiums for residents whose floodplain management measures exceed those req: uired to participate in the NFIP. Presently, the thus residents are City of Fort Walton Beach does participate in the CRS ~ a class 7 community, your entitled a 15% reduction on flood insurance premiums. We We wish to thank your staff for their assistance and cooperation during our CAC. encourage at the and support Ms. Carnley and your staff in attending the Floodplain Management courses Enclosed is the application infonnation or Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. www.fema. gov for additional infonnation on course schedules. In you may visit the FEMA website at Out addition, our State Assistance Office for the NFIP now offers a home study course titled " Carrying for Florida Officials." The home Floodplain Management in Your Community - A Home Study Course education, and technical assistance for local study course is provided to ensure continued training, committed to improving compliance and practicing sound floodplain management. governments call lfthe city needs assistance on these or other floodplain management related matters, please' Mr. Johnson at 850/ 413- 9951. Respectfully,