Resolution 039-1994
r:,! E-r' "",'-
. I_.L' ;"U ..nr'np,
.. '. -' ""'~ . '1
'94 FEB -4 P2 :16
Mayor Emeritus Harvey
1
jl,fJNP
RESOLUTION NO. 039 -1994
'L
j i ~ .
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, OPPOSING SENATE BILL 1405
REGARDING THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE REFORM ACT OF
1993 AS IT IS CURRENTLY WORDED, AND RECOMMENDING
CERTAIN CHANGES WHICH WOULD MAKE THE PROPOSED LAW
ACCEPTABLE
WHEREAS, the current Bill is being deliberated in the U.S.
Senate as the National Flood InS\lranCe Reform Act of 1993; and
WHEREAS, the Bill recognizes the need for reform of the
present National Flood Insurance program to be more actuarially
sound; and
WHEREAS, the Bill would require mapping the entire United
States coastline at a cost of $25,000,000 from policy premiums to
establish 30 year and 60 year erosion control zones; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of 30 year and 60 year erosion
control zones is arbitrary and unpredictable throughout the
entire coast of the United States on a standardized basis and is
highly controversial; and
WHEREAS, the Bill does not permit flood insurance for any
new construction or additions to existing structures in the 30
year zone; and
WHEREAS, the Bill does not permit flood insurance for any
non-residential structure or residential structure that is not
readily movable in the 60 year zone; and
WHEREAS, existing structures are grandfathered into the Bill
but will ultimately be denied insurance after two claims totaling
50 per cent within ten years; and
WHEREAS, this Bill would prohibit federally backed mortgage
financing institutions from financing structures within flood
prone areas unless such structures were insured under the Nation-
al Flood Insurance program; and
WHEREAS, this Bill would therefore greatly diminish the
value of property within virtually every coastal community in the
nation because owners could not insure the structures on their
property or sell to buyers having to finance the purchase of stIch
property; and
WHEREAS, the Property Appraiser of Monroe County has de-
termined that the coastal properties of the county have a current
assessed value of $3,400,000,000 and this amount constitutes 48
per cent of the Monroe County tax roll and has concluded that
this Bill would drastically reduce the tax base of Monroe County;
and
WHEREAS, this Bill would impose no similar prohibitions on
the insurability of structures within other areas of the nation
which are chronically and predictably flood prone, such as the
riverine areas, even though statistics show that number and value
of flood insurance claims from riverine areas have exceeded those
from coastal areas; and
WHEREAS, the severe economic impact of the Bill on coastal
tax bases has not been considered and this impact far exceeds the
intent of the Bill; and
WHEREAS, the Senate should not enact this Bill in its
current form due to this inequity and fundamental unfairness to
coastal property owners; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, as follows:
Section 1. The Board urges the Senate to reject Senate
Bill 1405 in its current form due to its devastating impact on
the tax base and fundamental unfairness to the nation's coastal
property owners, and in particular, those in Florida who make up
more than 43 per cent of all National Flood Insurance program
policy holders.
Section 2. The Board strongly recommends ~ that the
actuarial soundness of the National Flood Insurance program be
significantly increased by enforcing regulations to mandate that
the other 8.5 million uninsured structures in federally designat-
ed flood areas be brought into compliance.
Section 3. The Board further recommends that the
controversial and scientifically unreliable mapping to create 30
and 60 year coastal zones of erosion be deleted until the chronic
and repetitive riverine losses are addressed.
Section 4. The Clerk of the Board is hereby directed to
forward certified copies of this Resolution to U.S. Senators Bob
Graham and Connie Mack and all Florida members of the U.S. House
of Representatives.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of
Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of the Board held on
day of
January
, 1994.
the 20th
Mayor London
Mayor Pro Tem Cheal
yes
yes
Commissioner Freeman
yes
Commissioner Harvey
yes
Commissioner Reich
yes
(SEAL)
ATTEST: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, CLERK
Byilo-U c,. \Qu [d~
. Deputy Clerk[
viifira
a1.rman
APPFlOVED AS TO FO"':,.~
AN..DF""
~,~ . .
/-/1 9~
1!lannp JL. liolbage
BRANCH OFFICE
3117 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY
MARATHON, FLORIDA 33050
TEL. (305) 289-6027
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
MONROE COUNTY
500 WHITEHEAD STREET
KEY WEST, FLORIDA 33040
TEL. (305) 292-3550
BRANCH OFFICE
88820 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY
PLANTATION KEY, FLORIDA 33070
TEL. (305) 852-7145
February 9, 1994
Honorable Bob Graham
United states Senator
241 Dirksen state Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Honorable Connie Mack
unites states Senator
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Graham:
Please be advised that at a Regular Meeting in formal
session on January 20, 1994, the Board of County Commissioners of
Monroe County adopted Resolution No. 039-1994, opposing Senate
Bill 1405 regarding the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of
1993 as it is currently worded, and recommending certain changes
which would make the proposed law acceptable.
Enclosed please find a certified copy of this
Resolution for your consideration.
Very tru~y yours,
Danny L. Kolhage
Clerk of Circuit Court
and ex officio Clerk to the
Board of County Commissioners
By: lb~l) C. Ov~
Isabel C. DeSant~,
Deputy Clerk
cc: Florida Members of the U.S.
House of Representatives
Members of the Florida Cabinet
Federal Emergency Mnagement Administration
Monroe County Property Appraiser
Monroe County Tax Collector
Monroe County Attorney
Monroe County Commissioners
File