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LTC 193-2022 FEMA Community Rating System (CRS) Rating Recertification and Flood Insurance SavingsLTC# 193-2022 DocuSign Envelope ID : E 1A8DEOD-C2C9-4E47-85ED-7 ADDC02B7EEB MIAMI BEACH OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER LETTER TO COMMISSION TO : FROM: DATE : Mayor Dan Gelber and Mem!W City Commission Alina T . Hudak, City Manag lJl' °' , May 13, 2022 SUBJECT: FEMA Community Rating System (CRS) Rating Recertification and Flood Insurance Savings I am very pleased to share the formal congratulatory letter from FEMA verifying that Miami Beach has been officially certified to retain its Class 5 Community Rating System (CRS). This designation makes Miami Beach one of only three municipalities in Miami-Dade County to achieve this score, which allows for the community to continue to receive 25% savings on flood insurance premiums. This discount provides $8.6 million in savings to the community, helping to offset increasing federal rates. Miami Beach participates in the Community Rating System (CRS) of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and succeeded in improving its rating from a Class 6 to a Class 5 in 2019. Recertification occurs every three years and the City has just received formal confirmation of maintaining the Class rating due to its commitment to flood mitigation activities. The CRS is a voluntary program under the Federal Emergency Managements Agency (FEMA) allowing communities to earn flood insurance discounts. Under FEMA's NFIP program, cities can earn points for conducting activities that promote flood insurance and reduce flood risk. The CRS program rating is reflective of stronger resilience efforts ranging from stormwater management planning, review of elevation certificates, higher regulatory standards, land use amendments, communicating flood awareness messages, conducting a flood insurance analysis, and dedicating open space preservation to name a few. Maintaining this score is a direct result of staff collaboration and dedication of Building, CMO-Resilience team, Communications, Emergency Management, Environmental and Sustainability, Planning, and Public Works. This team effort is led by Mohsen Jarahpour, Building Floodplain Manager and Amy Knowles, Chief Resilience Officer . As part of the CRS program , the City produces a Program for Public Information (PPI), which documents our flood awareness outreach and communications. A special thanks goes out to our PPI Committee members Melissa Berthier, Mohsen Jarahpour, John Lee, Scott Diffenderfer, Carlos Gutierrez, and Alex Carrasco. I look forward to sharing this exciting news with residents and businesses and continuing our commitmegt to reducing flood risk and rising above. 9')~ ATH/~/ALK Attachment 1 : FEMA Letter DocuSign Envelope ID: E 1A8DEOD-C2C9-4E47-85ED-7 ADDC02B7EEB April 11, 2022 Ms. Alina Hudak Miami Beach City Manager 1700 Convention Center Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139 Dear Ms. Hudak: U.S. Department of Homeland Security 500 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20472 FEMA The purpose of this letter is to provide you with the results of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) field verification findings based on your 3-year cycle verification. The field verification report is enclosed for your records. I am pleased to inform you that the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has determined that the City of Miami Beach will retain its current rating as a Class 5 in the NFIP CRS. The floodplain management activities implemented by your community qualify it for a 25 percent discount on flood insurance premiums for most NFIP policies issued or renewed on or after October I, 2022. This savings is a tangible result of the flood mitigation activities your community implements to protect lives and reduce property damage. The CRS rating for your community will automatically be renewed annually as long as there are no NFIP noncompliance actions, so a notification letter will not be sent every year. This annual renewal will take place as long as your community continues to implement the CRS activities you certify in your annual recertification documentation. Ifno additional modifications or new CRS activities are added, the next verification visit for your community will be in accordance with its established 3-year cycle. In the interim, FEMA will periodically send the NFIPICRS Update newsletter and other notices to your CRS Coordinator to keep your community informed. I commend you on your community actions and your determination to lead your community to be more disaster resistant. This commitment enhances public safety, property protection, and protects the natural functions of floodplains, and reduces flood insurance premiums. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the FEMA Region IV Office, CRS Coordinator Roy McClure, at (770) 220-8835. Sincerely, w~ft~ William H. Lesser, CRS Coordinator Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration Enclosure cc: Mr. Moshen Jarahpour, CRS Coordinator DocuSign Envelope ID: E1A8DE0D-C2C9-4 E47-85ED-7ADDC02B7EEB NFIP/CRS COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM City of Miami Beach, FL NFIP Number: 120651 Date of Verification Visit: December 18, 2020 VERIFICATION REPORT Verified Class 5 Cycle-Phone Verification This Verification Report is provided to explain the recommendations of Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) to DHS/FEMA concerning credits under the Community Rating System (CRS) for the above named community . A total of 2614 credit points are verified which results in a recommendation that the community remain a CRS Class 5. The following is a summary of our findings with the total CRS credit points for each activity listed in parenthesis : Activity 310 -Construction Certificate Management: The Building Department maintains elevation certificates for new and substantially improved buildings. Copies of elevation certificates are made available upon request. (38 points) Activity 320 -Map Information Service: Credit is provided for furnishing inquirers with basic flood zone information from the community's latest Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Credit is also provided for the community offering additional FIRM information, information about problems not shown on the FIRM, flood depth data, historical flood information, and natural floodplain functions . The service is publicized annually and records are maintained. (90 points) Activity 330 -Outreach Projects: Credit is provided for informational outreach projects, general outreach projects , and targeted outreach projects. These projects are disseminated annually. Credit is also provided for having a pre-flood plan for public information. Credit is enhanced by having a Program for Public Information (PPI) and by having the information disseminated by stakeholders outside the local government. A progress report for the PPI must be submitted on an annual basis. (350 points) Activity 340 -Hazard Disclosure: Credit is provided for state regulations requiring disclosure of flood hazards . (10 points) Activity 350 -Flood Protection Information: Documents relating to floodplain management are available in the reference section of the Miami Dade County Library. Credit is also provided for floodplain information displayed on the community's website. (76 points) DocuSign Envelope ID : E1A8DE0D-C2C9-4E47-85ED-7ADDC02B7EEB City of Miami Beach, FL NFIP #: 120651 Page 2 Activity 360 -Flood Protection Assistance: Credit is provided for offering one-on- one advice regarding property protection and making site visits before providing advice . Credit is also provided for offering advice on financial assistance programs and advisor training at appropriate Emergency Management Institute (EMI) courses. The service is publicized annually and records are maintained. Credit is enhanced by having a PPI. (104 points) Activity 370 -Flood Insurance Promotion: Credit is provided for assessing the community's current level of flood insurance coverage. Credit is provided for the development and implementation of a coverage improvement plan . A progress report must be submitted on an annual basis. The service is publicized annually and records are maintained. Credit for implementing a coverage improvement plan is enhanced by having a PPI. (90 points) Activity 420 -Open Space Preservation: Credit is provided for preserving approximately 20 percent of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as open space. (313 points) Activity 430 -Higher Regulatory Standards: Credit is provided for enforcing regulations that require development limitations, freeboard for new construction and substantial improvement, foundation protection, protection of critical facilities, and local drainage protection. Credit is also provided for the enforcement of building codes, a Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) Classification of 2/2, other higher standards, and regulations administration . (340 points) Activity 440 -Flood Data Maintenance: Credit is provided for maintaining and using additional map data in the day to day management of the floodplain. Credit is also provided for establishing and maintaining a system of benchmarks. (170 points) Activity 450 -Stormwater Management: The community enforces regulations for stormwater management, soil and erosion control , and water quality. (200 points) Section 502 -Repetitive Loss Category: Based on the updates made to the NFIP Report of Repetitive Losses as of January 31, 2017, the City of Miami Beach, FL has 7 4 repetitive loss properties and is a Category C community for CRS purposes. The community is required to submit either a Repetitive Loss Area Analysis or Floodplain Management Plan. (No credit points are applicable to this section) Activity 510 -Floodplain Management Planning: Credit is provided for the Miami Dade County Local Mitigation Strategy, adopted on September 8, 2020. A progress report must be submitted on an annual basis. (225 points) DocuSign En velope ID : E 1A8DE0D-C2C9-4E47-85ED-7ADDC02B7EEB City of Miami Beach, FL NFIP #: 120651 Page 3 Activity 540 -Drainage System Maintenance: Credit is provided for the regular inspection and maintenance of the community's natural drainage system and identified problem sites. Credit is provided for implementing an ongoing Capital Improvements Program . The community enforces a regulation prohibiting dumping in the drainage system and annually publicizes the regulation. Credit is enhanced by having a PPI. (310 points) Activity 610 -Flood Warning and Response: Credit is provided for a program that provides timely identification of impending flood threats, disseminates warnings to appropriate floodplain residents, and coordinates flood response activities. Credit is also provided for the designation as a Storm Ready Community by the National Weather Service. A description of the flood exercise or After Action Report from an actual flood event must be submitted on an annual basis. Warning information and safety measures must be publicized annually . (298 points) Activity 710 -County Growth Adjustment: All credit in the 400 series is multiplied by the growth rate of the county to account for growth pressures. The growth rate for Miami Dade, FL is 1.08. Attached is the Community Calculations Worksheet that lists the verified credit points for the Community Rating System. CEO Name / Address: Raul J. Aguila Interim City Manager 1700 Convention Center Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139 Date Report Prepared: November 10, 2021 CRS Coordinator Name / Address: Mohsen Jarahpour Floodplain Administrator 1700 Convention Center Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139 (305) 673-7610 DocuSign Envelope ID : E1A8DE0D-C2C9-4E47-85ED-7 ADDC02B7EEB Community : City of Miami Beach, FL NFIP Number: 120651 720 COMMUNITY CREDIT CALCULATIONS (Cycle-Phone Verification): CALCULATION SECTION : Verified Activity Calculations: c310 c320 c330 c340 c350 c360 c370 c410 c420 c430 c440 c450 c510 c520 c530 c540 c610 c620 c630 38 90 350 10 76 104 90 xCGA 290 xCGA 315 xCGA 157 xCGA 185 xCGA 225 310 298 = 1.08 = 1.08 = 1.08 = 1.08 = Community Classification Calculation: cT = total of above Credit 38 90 350 10 76 104 90 313 340 170 200 225 310 298 cT = 2614 Community Classification (from Table 110-1 ): Class= 5 CEO Name/Address: Raul J. Aguila Interim City Manager 1700 Convention Center Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139 CRS Coordinator Name/Address: Mohsen Jarahpour Floodplain Administrator 1700 Convention Center Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139 (305) 673-7610 Date Report Prepared: November 10, 2021 AW-720