New Hanover County shares report on comprehensive floodplain management
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC – (RealEstateRama) – To show the county’s strategies to reduce floodplain hazards, as well as ensure homeowners receive discounted flood insurance rates, New Hanover County has completed its annual progress report on the mitigation efforts related to floodplain management in the Southeastern NC Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
This report, which outlines the county’s approach to floodplain management, is part of the annual recertification process for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System.
“New Hanover County has participated in the Community Rating System since 1991, and it is important that we continue to exceed the minimum requirements of the NFIP and that our community benefits from a comprehensive floodplain management approach,” said County Manager Chris Coudriet. “Through the Southeastern Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, New Hanover County is working with municipal partners to help prevent damage from flooding and disasters. This helps protect properties and also amounts to cost savings for our citizens on their insurance premium rates.”
The NFIP’s Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. Last year, New Hanover County’s CRS rating improved from a Class 8 to a Class 7, meaning eligible homeowners in the unincorporated areas of the county receive a 15 percent discount on flood insurance premiums in FEMA designated Special Flood Hazard Areas.
New Hanover County participates with the City of Wilmington, beach towns and Brunswick and Pender counties in the Southeastern NC Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, and nearly half of the strategies outlined directly relate to floodplain management. Some of those include regular meetings with other local CRS programs to leverage resources and learning opportunities, enforcement of the NC Building Code, stormwater ordinance updates, enforcement of land use and zoning ordinances in flood zones, education of landowners, and capital projects addressing drainage and water egress.
The 2019 Progress Report for New Hanover County’s Community Rating System was submitted to the Insurance Services Office last week and can be found here. The Southeastern NC Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan undergoes review every five years, with the next review to be complete in 2021. For more information, visit New Hanover County’s Planning and Land Use Department website or call 910-798-7165.
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Contact
Kate Oelslager
910-798-7422
