Community Resources
Quick Guide for Floodplain Management
Illustrated guide for floodplain management in Florida, available for desktop printing and an Adobe® Slideshow. The Quick Guide is intended to provide an overview for non-technical local staff and is useful to refresh what local floodplain administrators already know about managing flood hazard areas.
Post-Disaster Guidance for Floodplain Administrators
Floodplain Management Performance Measures
Technical Bulletins
Manufactured Homes
Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage
Guidance for Some Activities
- Florida Guidance for Additions to Buildings
- FEMA guidance for anchoring fuel tanks
- Interim Pool Guidance 5/28/2020
Local Coordination Resources
- Model Inter-Local Agreement for Floodplain Management (2010)
- Community Responsibilities for Participation in the NFIP
Letters of Map Change
ACTION 1. Plan ahead to communicate with elected officials and citizens. Identifies elements for a communications plan. Encourages working with other community officials, public information office and Emergency Manager to fill in the details.
ACTION 2. Assess post-disaster needs and request assistance. Provides an overview of the State Mutual Aid Agreement and Emergency Management Assistance Compact so community officials will know how to request assistance from within and outside the State.
ACTION 3. Document high water marks. Describes how to collect and document high water marks and post data in real time on FDEM’s GIS website.
ACTION 4. Make substantial damage determinations and use FEMA’s Substantial Damage Estimator. Explains conducting SI/SD determinations and using FEMA’s Substantial Damage Estimator (SDE). The SDE is a powerful tool that is effective to collect data on damaged buildings to make substantial damage determinations.
ACTION 5. Understand NFIP claims and Increased Cost of Compliance. Describes how property owners who have NFIP flood insurance policies on buildings substantially damaged by flooding may qualify for Increased Cost of Compliance claim payments to help bring buildings into compliance. Links to FEMA’s brochures and FAQs.
ACTION 6. Identify post-disaster and mitigation funding assistance. Provides an overview of post-disaster and mitigation funding programs and other sources of funding. Refers to the Local Mitigation Strategy plans for details on local project priorities.
Since the 2010 edition, the flood provisions of the Florida Building Code (FBC) meet or exceed the minimum NFIP requirements for buildings and structures. Florida communities rely on the FBC and local floodplain management ordinances to fulfill the requirements for participation in the NFIP.
Every 3 years, the Florida Building Commission develops the next edition of the FBC. The flood provisions are carried forward as agency requirements.
Contact Floods@em.myflorida.com for help with amendments to the FBC for higher standards (put community name in the subject line. ALERT! Be sure to have DEM staff review draft ordinances well in advance of first readings..
7th Edition (2020) Florida Building Code
- Flood provisions of the 7th Edition Florida Building Code
- Highlights of ASCE 24-14 Flood Resistant Design and Construction (FEMA)
6th Edition (2017) Florida Building Code
- Flood provisions of the 6th Edition Florida Building Code
- 6th Ed Changes from the 5th Ed FBC
- Highlights of ASCE 24-14 Flood Resistant Design and Construction (FEMA)
- Flood Resistant Construction and the 6th Edition FBC (Fact Sheet by Building A Safer Florida, BASF)
- Revised CCCL Requirements in the 6th Edition FBC (Fact Sheet by Building A Safer Florida, BASF)
Higher Standards
Sec. 553.75(4), Florida Statute, permits locally-adopted amendments. Sec. 553.73(5), F.S., specifically permits higher standards for floodplain management that, if properly adopted, do not sunset every three years.
- General Instructions for Adding Higher Standards
- Additional Elevation (Freeboard)
- Cumulative Substantial Improvement
- Coastal A Zone (regulating as Zone V)
- Repetitive Loss Flooding (as part of substantial damage)
- Enclosures (prohibit or no partitions)
- Enclosures (limit size)
- Enclosures (nonconversion agreement)
- Require RDPs to design foundations for dwellings
- Prohibit use of fill to elevate buildings
Sample Forms
- SI/SD Sample Notice (from FEMA P-758)
- Zone V Design Certificate
- Declaration of Land Restriction (Non-conversion Agreement)
- Agreement to Submit Elevation Certificate
5th Edition (2014) Florida Building Code
Nearly all Florida communities administer local floodplain management ordinances that are written to rely on the Florida Building Code to meet the NFIP requirements for buildings. Local FPM ordinances adopt FEMA’s Flood Insurance Studies and Flood Insurance Rate Maps and contain administrative requirements and development requirements for other than buildings.
Contact Floods@em.myflorida.com for help with amendments to local FPM ordinances to adopt higher standards. ALERT! Be sure to have DEM staff review draft ordinances well in advance of first readings by contacting the above email address.
Accessory Structures and Agricultural Structures
Accessory Structures and Agricultural Structures In early 2020 FEMA issued guidance with requirements for issuing permits for wet floodproofed accessory structures (below specific size limits) and for granting variances for wet floodproofed agricultural structures (specifically defined). DEM SFMO issued guidance in January 2021 and revised guidance in May 2021.
- DEM SFMO Guidance for Accessory Structures
DEM SFMO Guidance for Agricultural Structures - FEMA Floodplain Management Bulletin: Requirements for Agricultural Structures and Accessory Structures (FEMA P-2140) and Policy 104-008-03.
Model Floodplain Management Ordinances
- Communities with Both Zones A and Zones V
- Communities with Only Zones A
- Common higher standards:
- Location Limits for Manufactured Homes
- No development in floodways
- Setbacks from waterways
- Require development of BFEs in unnumbered Zone A
- NFIP Checklist (Comparing Model to NFIP Regulations)
- FEMA Approval of State Model Ordinance (2013)
