Item J5J.5
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
C ounty of M onroe
Mayor Sylvia Murphy, District 5
Mayor Pro Tem Danny Kolhage, District 1
TheFloridaKeys
Michelle Coldiron, District 2
Heather Carruthers, District 3
David Rice, District 5
County Commission Meeting
February 20, 2019
Agenda Item Number: J.5
Agenda Item Summary #4635
BULK ITEM: No DEPARTMENT: Building
TIME APPROXIMATE: STAFF CONTACT: Karl Bursa (305) 453-8759
N/A
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Discussion and Direction on processing a land development code
amendment to require additional freeboard up to 3' above minimum required elevation under
floodplain regulations for Structures in the Special Flood Hazard Areas.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
One of the many prescribed methods of mitigating and adapting to future flooding issues is
s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to
describe a factor of safety usually expressed in feet above the 1% annual chance flood level. The
NFIP requires the lowest floor of structures built in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) to be at or
above the base flood elevation (BFE), so a structure built with freeboard would have its lowest floor
1 foot or more above the BFE.
Freeboard as Attachment A for reference.
On June 15, 2016, Monroe County adopted the GreenKeys Sustainability Action Plan. One of the
y of a
freeboard initiative to elevate and floodproof buildings within Monroe County (Goal 1: BE1.1, Goal
2-18, GreenKeys Sustainability Plan).
In 2018, the Florida Building Code changed to require a minimum of 1 foot of Freeboard on all
structures built in the SFHAs. Under this rule change, a structure in an AE Flood Zone with a Base
would have to be constructed such that the lowest horizontal structural member (LHSM) would be at
Additionally, following the impacts of Hurricane Irma on Monroe County, a
substantial number of homes are currently being rebuilt in SFHAs throughout the Florida Keys.
FEMA is currently creating new flood maps. Draft maps are anticipated to be distributed to Monroe
County in the Third Quarter of 2019. It is likely these new maps will become effective several years
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J.5
from the release of the draft maps.
There is a distinct possibility that, in light of new data and surge modeling, Monroe County may see
in Monroe County nonconforming to the BFE requirements.
Staff
requirements in addition to the FBC requirement of 1 foot already in place. Furthermore, Staff
discussed ideas regarding implementation of such requirements (Please see Attachment B), should
the County choose to follow this course of action.
Based on Staff review of documents from FEMA regarding NFIP insurance savings, Freeboard in
excess of 3 feet seems to reach a point of diminishing returns with regard to up-front costs versus
initial investment (Please see Attachment C).
Operating under a scenario where the County adopts a 3-foot Freeboard requirement, there are
immediate benefits that would be realized at both the County level and at the level of the individual
homeowner. There are also substantial disadvantages and challenges that such a requirement would
Attachment D) that could potentially
be realized if the County were to adopt an additional Freeboard requirement prior to the adoption of
note that this is not a comprehensive list of all
issues, positive or negative, that may come about as a result of such an action; but it is designed to
illustrate the complex nature of the discussion and the myriad of consequences action or inaction
may present. As an additional
System (CRS) score by approximately 108 points; however, this potential increase would not be
enough on its own to allow Monroe County to move into the next classification (Class 4). Lori Lehr,
consultant is currently working toward a Class 4 in the CRS.
For clarification, adoption of an additional Freeboard requirement by Monroe County would not be
in addition to the 1 foot required by Florida Building Code. In this scenario, were Monroe County to
adopt a 3-foot Freeboard requirement, it would simply mean that 2 additional feet of freeboard
would be required in addition to the 1 foot FBC requirement, as noted in the examples illustrated in
the table below:
BASE FLOOD CURRENT FFE/LHSM PROPOSED ADDITIONAL
ELEVATION REQUIREMENT FREEBOARD
BFE +1 BFE +3
AE EL 8 9 FEET 11 FEET
VE EL 12 13 FEET 15 FEET
Based on the information provided, Staff is seeking direction on whether the BOCC wishes to
implement additional Freeboard requirements.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: Adoption of GreenKeys Sustainability Plan
th
(6/15/16); 6 Edition Florida Building Code (2017), which recommends the County consider a
freeboard requirement.
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CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending that the Board of County Commissioners
examine the information presented and offer Staff direction on how to proceed with a land
development code amendment that would require a 3' freeboard requirement, which is 2' above the 1'
freeboard requirement in the Florida Building Code.
DOCUMENTATION:
Att_A_Freeboard_Final_06-19-14
Att_B_Freeboard_Peer_Review_Ideas
Att_C_Freeboard_Ins_Sav
Att_D_Freeboard_Pros_and_Cons
Att_E_Pre- vs Post-FIRM Rate Comparison
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Effective Date: N/A
Expiration Date: N/A
Total Dollar Value of Contract: N/A
Total Cost to County: N/A
Current Year Portion: N/A
Budgeted: N/A
Source of Funds: N/A
CPI: N/A
Indirect Costs: N/A
Estimated Ongoing Costs Not Included in above dollar amounts: N/A
Revenue Producing: N/A If yes, amount:
Grant: N/A
County Match: N/A
Insurance Required: N/A
Additional Details: N/A
N/A
REVIEWED BY:
Rick Griffin Completed 08/23/2018 12:27 PM
Assistant County Administrator Christine Hurley Completed
01/25/2019 10:37 AM
Steve Williams Completed 01/28/2019 9:57 AM
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Budget and Finance Completed 01/28/2019 10:13 AM
Maria Slavik Completed 01/28/2019 10:21 AM
Karl Bursa Completed 01/28/2019 10:33 AM
Kathy Peters Completed 01/28/2019 11:29 AM
Board of County Commissioners Pending 02/20/2019 9:00 AM
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Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration
Building Higher in Flood Zones: Freeboard – Reduce Your Risk, Reduce Your Premium
One way flood risk is communicatedis through maps that
show base flood elevations (BFEs), or the height
floodwaters would reach during a 1-percent-annual-
chance flood in any given year.
Freeboard is a term used by FEMA’s National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP) to describe a factor of safety
usually expressed in feet above the 1-percent-annual-
chance flood level. The NFIP requires the lowest floor of
structures built inSpecial Flood Hazard Areas(SFHAs) to
be at or above the BFE, so a structure built with freeboard
would have itslowest floor 1 foot or more above the BFE.
Adding freeboard will reduce NFIP insurance premiums.
Benefits of Freeboard
There are many benefits to incorporating freeboard into
new construction plans, the most important being safety
Figure 1: House elevated above the BFEwith 1 foot of freeboard
(Figure 1). Freeboard provides a margin of safety against
extraordinary or unknown flood risk. BFEs reflect
What is Floodplain Management?
estimates of flood risk, but there are many unknown
Floodplain management is the operation of a program of
factors that cancause flood heights to rise above the BFE,
preventive and corrective measures for reducing flood damage.
such as wave action, bridge and culvert openings being
FEMA helps communities develop floodplain management
blocked by debris, and development in the floodplain. It is
regulations that comply with NFIP regulations. Communities may
important to remember that floods more severethan the 1-
adopt more restrictive regulations. Community officials may have
percent-annual-chance event can and do occur.
knowledge of local conditions that require higher standards than
the NFIP regulations, particularly for human safety.
Other benefits of freeboard include incurring less damage,
g
easier and faster cleanup after a flood event, and lower
flood insurance rates. Incorporating freeboard into
4
building plans can result in substantial savings in flood
insurance premiums each year, especially for buildings
3
located in Zone V (a coastal flood zone at risk from wave
action). Figure 2shows potential flood insurance rates
2
Zone VE
based onthe amount of freeboardin both riverine (Zone
Zone AE
AE)and coastal (Zone VE)environments.
1
Communities that incorporate freeboard into their local
BFE
floodplain ordinances can earndiscounts on flood
insurance by participating in the NFIP’s Community
$0$1,000$2,000$3,000$4,000$5,000$6,000$7,000$8,000$9,000$10,000
Flood Insurance Premium
Rating System (CRS) program. CRS rewards
communities that engage in floodplain management
Figure 2: Maximum coverage for a$250,000 residential
activities that exceed NFIP standards by offering
building and $100,000 contents
discounts of up to 45 percent on flood insurance policies
writtenfor SFHAs in NFIP-participating communities.
FEMAs mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and
Improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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J.5.a
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Building Higher in Flood Zones: Freeboard – Reduce Your Risk, Reduce Your Premium
Benefit-Cost Comparison
FOR MORE INFORMATION…
Incorporating freeboard into new construction is
FEMAs Floodplain Management Branch
extremely cost effective. The up-front costs are generally
About floodplain management’s role in the NFIP:
only about 0.25 to 1.5 percent of the total construction
http://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management
costs for each foot of freeboard. However, the long-term
FEMA 347 Above the Flood: Elevating Your
savings on flood insurance will more than offset these
Floodprone House:
costs.
http://www.fema.gov/media-
library/assets/documents/725?id=1424
For example, adding 2 feet of freeboard to a new home
might add $20 a month to the mortgage payment, or $240
FEMA 312 Homeowners Guide to Retrofitting:
per year. The resulting flood insurance savings could be
http://www.fema.gov/media-
more than $1,000 a year for a building in Zone AE (for
library/assets/documents/480?id=1420
instance, in a riverine flood zone not affected by wave
Homebuilders Guide to Coastal Construction:
action) and $2,000 a year in Zone VE.
A series of fact sheets providing information about
Many States and communities have incorporated
responsible building practices including freeboard.
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2138
freeboard requirements into the elevation and
floodproofing requirements stipulated by the NFIP.
FloodSmart
Freeboard requirements can range from 6 inches to 4 feet,
Information for consumers and insurance
and it would be up to the community to decide what is
agents about flood insurance and the NFIP.
most appropriate given their location and other
www.FloodSmart.gov
community conditions.
Historically Speaking…
Freeboard was (and still is) a nautical term. It refers to the
height of a ship’s deck above the waterline. If you think of
the lowest floor of your house as the deck of your ship, and
the BFE as the height of the sea, freeboard is the extra
height that keeps the larger waves off your deck.
FEMAs mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and
Improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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J.5.b
Freeboard Peer Review Ideas:
Well-researched, well-executed public outreach program.
BOCC discussion regarding the topic ASAP
Provide the best and most complete information available in order to limit the number of
potentially nonconforming structures once the new maps are released.
Lower or eliminate permit/revision fees for property owners who voluntarily comply with
additional freeboard requirements.
Increase max height to accommodate additional freeboard requirements.
imit the building design of new houses in higher flood zones.
Possibly use a freeboard requirement that is relative to the Flood Zone a property is in (i.e. VE or
high AE flood zones require more freeboard and lower AE flood zones require less).
Establish a time threshold for determining substantial improvements (i.e. cumulative cost of
improvements over 24 months counts towards substantial improvement)
Attachment: Att_B_Freeboard_Peer_Review_Ideas (Additional Freeboard Discussion Item)
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Attachment: Att_C_Freeboard_Ins_Sav (Additional
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Builders
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Flood insurance
NOTE!rates and various fees change from time to time.give a feel for how much difference just a foot or two can make.Remember! as part of foundation inspections. An error of just 6 or
12 inches could more than double the cost of A community may be able to grant a variance, but the owner will probably be required to buy insurance. Imagine trying to sell a house if
the bank requires insurance that costs more than $9,000 to $18,000 a year!
$20,000
$17,500
*
$15,000
Maximum dwelling coverage ($250,000) and contents ($100,000) for a one-story single family home (no basment, no enclosure, no obstructions). Fees incuded.
s
$12,500
Ed.)
th
$10,000
BFE +1 ft. is minimum elevation required by FBC (6
%
** 17
$7,500
%
** 37
$5,000
%
%
** 54
** 59
%
$2,500
%
%
** 47
%
** 64
** 70
** 71
** Savings over at-BFE premium
$0
123
+3+2+1
+4
BFE
Freeboard: Build Higher, Reduce Damage, Save on Insurance Freeboard is additional height a factor of safety above the BFE. Buildings that are higher than the BFE experience less
damage. Starting with the 6th Edition, the Florida Building Code requires all buildings to be elevated to at least BFE plus 1 foot. Owners of
J.5.d
Adopting Freeboard Requirements Before New Adopting Freeboard Requirements Before New
Maps: Maps:
Immediate Reduction of Risk Exposure Increased Upfront Construction Costs.
for Community and Individual Property
Raised fl
Owners
Increased monthly savings for property grade and max height limits.
owners on Flood Insurance based on
Raised floor height will limit potential
elevations.
building designs due to low existing grade
Increased CRS points which count toward and max height limits.
the next CRS Classification.
Buildings currently under construction
Limits potential of structures being and buildings constructed to current
rendered nonconforming if map changes County and FBC requirements could be
result in modest increase (1-2 feet) in rendered nonconforming and would
Flood Zone BFE. therefore be subject to the Substantial
Damage/Improvement (50%) Rule.
Proactive approach will be welcomed by
some as getting out in front of a difficult Lower Flood Zones (AE Zones 6-9) would
issue. be more likely to be affected by the
increased cost since most would not
Long term benefit to recovery efforts due
elevate more than the required minimum
to reduced risk exposure for homes and
of BFE +1.
businesses.
Freeboard requirement would be in
Addition of just 2 feet of freeboard can
addition to BFE requirements which, if
save more than $1,000 per year in Zone
map changes result in drastic increases
AE and $2,000 in Zone VE. A house in VE
(2 feet +) , will
Flood Zone that was 2 feet above BFE
increase costs even more due to
would save nearly 50% on their insurance
increased elevation requirements.
premiums over the course of 10 years
versus the same house that was 1 foot Proactive approach when not mandated
above BFE ($40,000 vs. $60,000). by State or Federal Government may
potentially be seen as overreach.
If map changes decrease Flood Zone
, added costs imposed may
outweigh benefits in the short term.
Homeowners with houses already in the
design phase would need to have houses
redesigned to meet new requirements
costing time and money.
Disparate impacts likely due to
geographic/topographic differences
between Upper, Middle, and Lower Keys.
Attachment: Att_D_Freeboard_Pros_and_Cons (Additional Freeboard Discussion Item)
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Attachment: Att_E_Pre- vs Post-FIRM Rate Comparison (Additional Freeboard Discussion