Floodplain Management

Effectively immediately, all new Elevation Certificates and/or Dry Floodproofing Certificates for Nonresidential Structures must be on the latest FEMA forms which were released on July 7, 2023: FEMA 2022 Elevation Certificate & Instructions (PDF)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Elevation Certificate (EC) and Dry Floodproofing Certificate for Non-Residential Structures are currently under review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Until the review process is complete, the Building Division of the Building, Planning & Zoning Department will continue to accept the existing forms (with the November 30, 2022 expiration date).

Please note that, although the Elevation Certificate (EC) form may expire, a finished construction EC previously completed and certified for a structure does not expire, unless there is a physical change to the building that invalidates prior information reported.

New Public Website Makes it Easier for Property Owners to Access Flood Risk Data for Individual Properties

The City of Miramar is always striving to find new ways to ensure compliance with the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Community Rating System (CRS). In fact, the City has recently partnered with Forerunner Industries Inc., a Delaware-based software company, to digitize the City’s floodplain management program, thereby creating significant efficiencies for City staff by aggregating disparate flood information into a single dashboard and automating many workflows and reports. The Forerunner application will go a long way in helping the City increase the number of creditable activities it can submit to the Federal Management Agency (FEMA) for its CRS cycle verification, which can lead to higher CRS rating and therefore greater flood insurance discounts.

The City’s official website now features a link to a public version of the Forerunner application for the City for all community members to access available flood risk data for individual properties. The site will make it easier for homeowners, contractors, insurance agents, and realtors to learn about a property’s flood-related risk and potential insurance compliance requirements. The public website can be accessed at: Miramar Flood Information and will enable community members to perform the following searches:

  • Search for a property’s flood risk: Each property in the City will have a unique public profile with available flood data. Community members can now search for a property on the homepage by address to find its flood zone, FEMA- provided Base Flood Elevation (BFE). Design Flood Elevation (DFE), important flood-compliance-related warnings, and more.
  • Find Elevation certificates and other important flood-related documents for a property: Need an Elevation certificate for a permit or for insurance purposes? If there is document on file, community members can now find it in the searchable Elevation Certificate page , or on the property’s unique public profile – saving the cost of getting a new one.
  • Review Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage information for a property: Homeowners seeking to make improvements to a property may unknowingly nearing the property’s substantial improvement threshold, i.e., improvements in the last 5 years amounting to half of the assessed value of the current structure on the property. The site contains a property’s previous improvement or damages that will help community members understand possible limitations to their plans.

For more information, please contact Nixon Lebrun, AICP, MPA, CFM, Assistant Director of Building, Planning and Zoning at (954) 602-3281 or email.

On December 31, 2019, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released updated preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs or flood maps) that are expected to replace substantial portions of the current circa 2014 flood maps. Once adopted, these preliminary flood maps will be used to establish actuarial flood insurance rates and flood insurance purchase requirements for affected property owners.

These changes to the flood maps are the result of a comprehensive coastal flooding study performed by FEMA between 2014 and 2019. Initially, FEMA indicated to County and municipal staff that the anticipated impacts of the coastal study were primarily to areas east of I-95. However, the preliminary results indicate that the effects of coastal tidal flooding extend west of I-95 (mostly, but not exclusively, in the southern portions of the county). In fact, the City of Miramar will be particularly affected by the proposed changes to the flood maps. The recently preliminary released flood maps show that as many as 20,335 properties are proposed to be added to the Flood Zones and would thus require to purchase flood insurance, while only 409 are proposed to be removed from the SFHAs properties and to no longer require flood insurance.

FEMA will host a Community Consultation Officer (CCO) meeting between 3 – 5 pm on Wednesday February 5, 2020 to discuss the recently released preliminary flood maps. This meeting, which will be held at the Broward County Emergency Operations Center located at 201 N.W. 84th Avenue in Plantation, will provide an opportunity to government officials, i.e., floodplain administrators/CRS coordinators, emergency managers, representatives of building/permitting, planning/zoning and engineering offices, who use the FIRMs, to:

Review the preliminary flood maps, provide input and discuss concerns with representatives from FEMA, the State of Florida and the coastal study mapping team;
Learn about the map adoption process; and
Ask questions about the flood risk mapping initiative.

The aforementioned CCO meeting is not intended for the general public. City residents, who may have questions and/or concerns about the proposed map changes and how their properties will be affected, are instead encouraged to attend one of the of the following Public Flood Risk Open House events, which FEMA will host:

  1. Monday, February 3: 4 – 7 p.m. (Charles F. Dodge City Center; Pembroke Pines, FL)
  2. Thursday, February 6: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Emma Lou Olsen Civic Center; Pompano Beach, FL)
  3. Thursday, February 6: 4 – 7 p.m. (Anne Kolb Nature Center; Hollywood, FL).

Following the community meetings, FEMA will publish in the Federal Register a notice of the proposed flood maps, as well as two (2) public notices in the Sun Sentinel, after which, a six-month appeal period will commence. At the end of the appeal period, sometime in late 2020 or early 2021, FEMA will have an indefinite amount of time to resolve the appeals and issue a letter of final determination. Once FEMA makes the final determination, there will be six months for the Broward County Commission to adopt the flood maps before they take effect sometime in late 2021 or early 2022. Following is the schedule of the community meetings.

FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT

To see whether your property will be affected by the proposed changes, please click on link below:
Broward FEMA Flood Map Preliminary

DIRECTIONS:

  • Type in your address in the Find Address box in the upper right hand corner. (Example: 1 NE 5th Street, 33060)
  • Once the pop-up box designating the approximate location of your address on the map appears, find your house and click it.
  • A new pop-up window will appear with the old and new FEMA flood zone designations for your address.

Important Notice:

Flood Insurance Requirement Update

This notice serves to inform you of an important update regarding flood insurance requirements that will affect many landowners in our community. Effective July 31st, a significant portion of our city will be reclassified from an X zone to a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) according to updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) issued by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). This change means that residents in these areas will be required to have flood insurance.

Why is this change happening?

The change in flood zone designation is based on recent studies conducted by FEMA to better assess flood risk in our area. These updated FIRMs reflect more accurate data and modeling, which are essential for managing flood risk and ensuring community resilience.

What is required to attain flood insurance?

If your property is newly mapped into an SFHA, obtaining flood insurance will be necessary to comply with federal regulations and protect your home and belongings against flood damage. Flood insurance policies are available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and some private insurers.

Documents Required for Flood Insurance

When applying for flood insurance, you will typically need the following documents:

  • Elevation Certificate: This document provides details about your property’s elevation relative to Base Flood Elevations (BFEs). It is crucial for determining accurate insurance premiums.
  • Property Information: Basic details about your property, including its location, construction type, and occupancy.
  • Proof of Ownership: Documents that verify your ownership of the property, such as a deed or title insurance policy.
  • Contact Information: Your insurance agent’s contact details and information about any existing flood insurance policies.

Benefits of a Class 8 CRS NFIP Rating Discount

We are pleased to inform you that our city participates in the Community Rating System (CRS), which rewards communities for implementing floodplain management practices that exceed the NFIP's minimum requirements. Currently, our city holds a Class 8 rating under the CRS. This achievement qualifies residents for a 10% discount on flood insurance premiums for properties located in SFHAs such as the newly designated zones.

How to obtain an Elevation Certificate:

An elevation certificate is a document prepared by a licensed land surveyor, engineer, or architect that provides important information about your property's elevation in relation to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). This document is crucial for accurately assessing flood risk and determining flood insurance premiums.

  1. Contact Your Insurance Agent: Your insurance agent can assist you in obtaining an elevation certificate or can recommend a licensed professional who can perform the survey and prepare the certificate.
  2. Local Government Offices: If your property is newly developed or has undergone significant changes, copies of elevation certificates may be on file with the Building, Planning, and Zoning Department. Please contact the department directly or follow the Forerunner instructions provided below to access elevation certificates.
  3. Licensed Professionals: You can hire a licensed land surveyor, engineer, or architect to conduct a survey of your property and prepare an elevation certificate. Ensure that the professional you choose is qualified and experienced in preparing these documents.

Why is an Elevation Certificate Important?

Having an elevation certificate allows you to:

Determine the correct flood insurance premium rates based on your property's actual flood risk.
Ensure compliance with FEMA and NFIP requirements for properties located within SFHAs.
Provide accurate information to potential buyers about flood risk and insurance requirements.

Accessing Elevation Certificates via Forerunner

To facilitate compliance and enhance accessibility to flood-related information, Miramar employs Forerunner. This platform allows property owners to search and access comprehensive flood-related data, including existing elevation certificates. Simply use the QR code or visit the website below to explore:

Miramarfl.withforerunner.com/properties

Additional Resources and Assistance:

If you have questions about obtaining an elevation certificate or need further assistance, please contact Building, Planning, and Zoning Department at (954) 602-3190 or email smonoar@miramarfl.gov.

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