Title
An Ordinance Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Amending Chapter 154 Of The Code Of Ordinances Entitled “Flood Damage Prevention” To Revise The Regulations To Be In Conformance With FEMA’s Requirements Related To Accessory Structures And Manufactured Homes; Providing For A Repealer Provision And A Severability Clause.
Strategic Plan Focus
Quality of Life & Strong Neighborhoods
Body
Staff Recommends: Approval of the Attached Ordinance.
Explanation:
Chapter 154 of the Hollywood Code of Ordinances sets forth the regulations and guidelines relating to flood damage prevention to safeguard the public health, safety, and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses in flood hazard areas.
The Legislature of the State of Florida in Chapter 166 - Municipalities, Florida Statutes, confers upon local governments the authority to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizens. FEMA released Policy #104-008-03, Floodplain Management Requirements for Accessory Structures in February 2020. City staff has determined that it is appropriate to revise current City regulations to be consistent with the FEMA Policy for wet flood proofed accessory structures that are not larger than the sizes specified in the FEMA Policy.
The City participates in the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (“NFIP”) and participates in the NFIP’s Community Rating System (“CRS”), a voluntary incentive program, that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum program requirements, achieving a CRS rating of Class 6. As a result, property owners in the City receive a 20% reduction in flood insurance premiums.
In 2020, the NFIP CRS established certain minimum prerequisites for communities to qualify for or maintain class ratings of Class 8 or better. To satisfy the prerequisite and for the City to maintain the current CRS rating, all manufactured homes installed or replaced in special flood hazard areas must be elevated such that the lowest floors are at or above at least the base flood elevation plus one foot, which necessitates modification of the existing City regulations.
It is in the best interest of the public and the citizens of Hollywood to amend the current regulations to better protect the owners and occupants of manufactured homes and to continue participating in the NFIP CRS at the current class rating.
This Ordinance must be adopted and in effect before the next Cycle Verification visit by ISO, anticipated by end of 2021, to prevent being retrograded to a Class 9 rating, which has a consequence of only a 5% reduction in flood insurance premiums versus the reduction currently attained of 20% under Class 6 rating.
Fiscal Impact:
Approval of this ordinance does not have any fiscal impact on the City.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Feng (Jeff) Jiang, Assistant Director, ECSD, Department of Public Utilities
Vivek Galav, Director, Department of Public Utilities
Gus Zambrano, Assistant City Manager/Sustainable Development