Page 21 - Abacoa Community News - December '24

Abacoa, Page 21

Government

Commissioner’s Update

New Flood Maps For the BFE or minimum elevation required for a substantial incorrectly identified as an SFHA, they can submit an
If property owners believe their property has been
improvement (SI). For residents in unincorporated Palm
Palm Beach County Beach County, staff can provide SI determinations and application to FEMA for a formal determination of the
technical assistance prior to major renovations. property’s location and/or elevation relative to the SFHA.
By Vice Mayor For property owners required to have flood insurance There are two types of determination documents you can
Maria G. Marino under these new guidelines, it’s highly recommended to seek in your Letter of Map Change (LOMC) request.
The Federal Emergency secure a policy as soon as possible. Those with existing • Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA): A letter from
Management Agency National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies are FEMA stating that an existing structure or parcel of land —
(FEMA) has recently encouraged to maintain them. Regardless of what flood that is on naturally high ground and has not been elevated
released updated flood zone you may be in, the county continues to recommend by fill — would not be inundated by the base flood.
zone maps that bring that all property owners have flood insurance since • Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F): A
significant changes to Palm flooding can occur anywhere. Windstorm insurance does letter from FEMA stating that an existing structure or parcel
Beach County. These new not cover flood damage. Thanks to Palm Beach County’s of land has been elevated by earthen fill and would not be
maps, set to take effect participation in the Community Rating System (CRS) inundated by the base flood.
on December 20, 2024, discount program, unincorporated area residents receive Residents in unincorporated areas can request flood zone
highlight an increased flood a 25 percent discount on their flood insurance premiums, determinations from Palm Beach County, which provides
risk for thousands of residents, particularly in the eastern which can help alleviate some of the financial burden written confirmation of zone designations. Additionally, the
regions of the county. The revised maps classify many associated with increased flood risk. county offers consultations for retrofitting existing buildings
additional areas as high-risk flood zones, known officially The maps are available on the Palm Beach County to improve flood resilience. Municipal residents should defer
as special flood hazard areas (SFHAs). Planning, Zoning & Building webpage, where residents to their municipal floodplain or town/city manager.
The updated maps are particularly impactful for can use the countywide property search tool to determine For questions, property owners can call the Palm
low-lying regions, properties near canals and lakes, and their flood zones. The webpage also provides other Beach County Flood Zone Hotline at (561) 233-5374 for
coastal zones prone to tidal surges. As a result, more than important information, including links to FEMA, the personalized assistance with the new maps, flood proofing
16,000 parcels in Palm Beach County are anticipated pending FEMA flood maps, municipalities affected, options, and more.
to have a base flood elevation (BFE) increase of one tips on how the county can help, and more. Please visit:
foot or more. The increase in BFE may result in non- https://discover.pbcgov.org/pzb/Pages/Update-on-Flood-
conforming structures that have the lowest floor below Zones.aspx.
Northern Notes

Know The Flow –each must be properly maintained and functioning – to The “secondary” drainage system is usually a network of
provide flood protection for south Florida neighborhoods. canals, structures, pumping stations and storage areas. These
By Katie Roundtree, So, what path does stormwater typically follow from systems can cover several hundred square miles and serve
Director of Finance and your neighborhood to its final destination? Here’s an many communities. In communities maintained by Northern,
Administration, Northern example. Five inches of rain falls in 24 hours over an stormwater systems are gravity-fed or pumped using
Palm Beach County inland community. This rain follows a wet period, so stormwater pump stations. Water moves through a series
Improvement District groundwater levels are already high. According to most of lakes and canals via weirs (fixed structures), operable
Flood control in Florida approved drainage designs, some water is temporarily gates and pump stations. These systems sometimes move
is a shared responsibility stored in public recreational areas, yard swales and water through multiple communities, so the “downstream”
that provides maximum streets. Drainage swale areas are sloped to catch water effects must be considered when moving water from one
benefit only when all and filter out pollutants as water is absorbed into the area to another. The stormwater systems discharge into
components (primary, ground. Some yards direct water to the community local canals managed by Northern or other municipalities.
secondary and tertiary) are drainage system as runoff, with very little water retained Northern uses a telemetry system to monitor and remotely
designed and constructed in the yard. The excess surface water slowly drains to open and close gates and pumps. Weather conditions and
to work together and are maintained in proper working community lakes or on-site ponds via street and yard water levels are monitored around the clock. Water levels
order. Florida is more complex than many states, where drainage grates, swales, ditches or canals. Homeowner in the secondary drainage system can be lowered to allow
one entity usually provides local and regional drainage associations typically assume the maintenance and upkeep more water storage and minimize flooding. These systems
for the community. In Florida, some areas have no formal of community drainage facilities. Water then drains from discharge water into the “primary” flood control system as
drainage systems and are prone to routine flooding; others the community or “tertiary” system through underground long as carrying capacity is available.
may be covered by several organizations or governments pipes to the “secondary” system, which is mainly operated The South Florida Water Management District operates
providing varying service levels. Depending on by the Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District the “primary” drainage system. In anticipation of heavy
conditions, water may have to be routed through several (Northern) in this area. Cities and the county also maintain
interconnected, though independent, conveyance systems “secondary” systems, depending on development plans. Northern Notes on page 22