FEMA FLOODPLAIN AND DOWNSTAIRS ENCLOSURE DISCUSSION TO HAPPEN AT WEDNESDAY’S BOCC MEETING

MONROE COUNTY, FL – On Wednesday, July 19, at approximately 11 a.m., Monroe County Attorney Bob Shillinger and County Administrator Roman Gastesi will update the Board of County Commissioners on the County’s recent meeting with the Acting FEMA Region IV Administrator Robert Samaam and his staff in Atlanta regarding the County’s request to change certain floodplain regulations. The BOCC meeting is hybrid and can be attended in person at the Marathon Government Center or via Zoom at https://mcbocc.zoom.us/j/82032493400.

The Atlanta FEMA discussion focused on three issues the County faces with floodplain management: 1) the County’s FIRM date (1973 versus 1975), 2) the restriction that limits downstairs enclosures to no more than 299 square feet (299 rule), and 3) the Inspection Upon Transfer of Ownership program.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the County would like input and suggestions on potential changes from industry professionals and the public since the acting FEMA Region IV Administrator expressed a willingness to consider alternatives to the 299 rule and Inspection Upon Transfer regulations outlined in the remedial plan.

“The FEMA administrator did have concerns that the community could backslide into a state of non-compliance similar to what led to the imposition of the remedial plan in the first place,” said Shillinger. “We want to ensure we do not jeopardize our community’s ability to participate in the NFIP.”

Currently, 1,913 (16 percent) of 11,796 NFIP-insured properties in unincorporated Monroe County are listed on FEMA’s National Violation Tracker. FEMA put unincorporated Monroe County on the remedial plan to maintain its eligibility in the NFIP after a history of non-compliance led to the County being placed on probation and threatened with expulsion from the NFIP.

The Board will consider ideas at the meeting and may incorporate them into future negotiations with FEMA and possible code changes. Any actual code changes will be considered at future public hearings held pursuant to State requirements.

Monroe County continues to work on resolving the conflicting FIRM dates of 1973 versus 1975 with FEMA staff but has confirmed that it does not affect the pre-/post-FIRM status of a property for NFIP flood insurance purposes.

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