Oklahoma CRS Workgroup and CRS Program Update Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association 2011 Annual Conference, Norman Oklahoma Jeff Bigby, PE, CFM Floodplain Administrator – City of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Just what is the CRS??? The Community Rating System (CRS) is a program administered by FEMA to provide lower insurance premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program while working to minimize flood damages nationwide. NFIP communities that provide floodplain management activities above the minimum NFIP standards and join the CRS are provided flood insurance premium reductions for the property owners in the community. Specific floodplain management activities are tracked with points assigned. More activities points leads to a lower class rating. A community rated as a Class 1 provides a 45% discount on flood insurance premiums to it’s citizens within the SFHA while a Class 10 rating provides no discount. Examples of activities given CRS credit are elevation certificate maintenance, flood hazard outreach projects to property owners, open space preservation, higher regulatory standards, flood prone property acquisition, and drainage system maintenance. Many communities joining the CRS find that they are already performing several activities that are given CRS credit. Benefits of the CRS include reduced flood insurance premiums within the community, reduction in flood damages, reduction of human suffering from flooding, enhanced public safety, protection of the environment, and better organization of the local floodplain program. CRS communities must have a designated CRS Coordinator who prepares recertification documents and works with the Regional Insurance Services Office (ISO) during verification visits. The community must maintain ongoing activities records as part of the CRS program.

CRS Activities Description Floodplain Management Activities Are Divided Into Series Series 300 – Public Information Programs that advise people about flood hazards and flood insurance. Series 400 – Mapping and Regulations Credits programs that provide increased floodplain protections on new development and provide better flood data maintenance. Series 500 – Flood Damage Reduction Credits programs that reduce flood risk to existing developments. Series 600 – Flood Preparedness Credits flood warning, levee safety, and dam safety projects.

Series 300 Activities and Points Public Information 310 Elevation Certificates – Maintain Elevation Certificate records 320 Map Information Service – Provide floodplain determinations, mapping information, etc. 330 Outreach Projects – Send information about flood hazards, flood insurance, or floodplains to various residents within the community 340 Hazard Disclosure – Flood hazards disclosed to potential property buyers 350 Flood Protection Information – References on flood insurance and flood protection 360 Flood Protection Assistance – Technical advice given to residents on flood protection

Series 400 Activities and Points Mapping and Regulations 410 Additional Flood Data – Higher regulatory floodplain mapping, new flood elevations, etc. 420 Open Space Preservation – Development standards, deed restrictions, zoning, or other policies that preserve open space and natural functions of floodplains 430 Higher Regulatory Standards – Freeboard, cumulative substantial improvement code, compensatory floodplain storage, etc. 440 Flood Data Maintenance – FIRMs mapped in GIS, benchmark maintenance, etc. 450 Stormwater Management – Stormwater detention and erosion control requirements, low impact development, watershed master plans, stormwater quality requirements, etc.

Series 500 Activities and Points Flood Damage Reduction 510 Floodplain Management Planning – Repetitive loss area plan, natural floodplain functions plan, FEMA 10 step floodplain management planning 520 Acquisition and Relocation – Acquire and clear buildings within the floodplain 530 Flood Protection – Flood protection techniques to protect existing buildings within the floodplain 540 Drainage System Maintenance – Channel debris removal, channel and detention facility maintenance, capital improvements programs, stream dumping regulations

Series 600 Activities and Points Flood Preparedness 610 Flood Warning and Response – Flood sirens, StormReady communities, flood response operations, critical facilities planning 620 Levees – Levee maintenance, levee failure operations plan, levee outreach projects 630 Dams – State Dam Safety Program, Dam Failure Emergency Action Plans

CRS Flood Insurance Premiums Discounts Rate ClassDiscount SFHADiscount Non-SFHACredit Points Required

National CRS Community Stats ClassSFHA Discount % # Communities Community(s) 1451Roseville CA 2402Tulsa OK, King County Wash. 3351Pierce County Wash Fort Collins CO, Sacramento Co. CA, Skagit Co. Wash, Snohomish Co. Wash, Charleston Co. S.C Multiple Multiple Multiple Multiple 95218Multiple 100All Non- CRSAll Other NFIP Members 1144 Total Data from October 1, 2010 CRS Communities List

Oklahoma CRS Communities The following list is the Oklahoma CRS Communities and their current CRS class. Tulsa – Class 2 Broken Arrow - Class 5 Lawton – Class 6 Ponca City – Class 6 Sand Springs – Class 6 Edmond – Class 7 Bartlesville – Class 7 Blackwell – Class 8 Chickasha – Class 8 Enid – Class 8 Stillwater – Class 8 Dewey – Class 9 Norman – Incoming in October 2011 – Class 5 Del City – Incoming date and classification to be determined

CRS Workgroup Formation Preparations for an OFMA sponsored CRS Workgroup began in late Research of CRS groups from other states was done to determine the best way to get a group formed. Contact with all Oklahoma CRS Coordinators was made in late 2010 to determine interest in a workgroup. The first meeting of the Workgroup was held on April 19, The group will meet three to four times a year to network and keep current on CRS program issues relevant to local floodplain management programs of CRS communities.

Oklahoma CRS Workgroup Format Meetings are held quarterly with planned CRS topics covered. Meetings are approximately 2 hours long and have been held in both the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas. CRS staff from 10 of the 13 current Oklahoma CRS communities have attended a workgroup meeting.

Upcoming National Changes to the CRS Program Multiple changes to the National CRS Program are proposed to: Reduce flood damage to insurable property. Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP. Encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management.

Flood Insurance Requirements on City Buildings in Floodplain A CRS Class 9 or lower (all CRS communities) requires the community to obtain flood insurance on all insurable buildings within the SFHA owned by the community. Insurance through standard means or through a formal risk management program detailing “self insured” funds availability for property losses.

Building Code Issues Points given for building codes will be based totally on Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) class per new CRS rules. CRS communities not rated by BCEGS or counties without building codes may lose some CRS points. A higher BCEGS threshold is proposed for certain CRS levels. A CRS Class 7 or lower requires a 5/5 BSEGS rating as a minimum.

Natural Floodplain Code Issues A CRS Class 4 or lower requires obtaining the minimum points for natural floodplain functions (Activity 420).

2012 CRS Coordinator’s Manual Implementation September CRS Task Force decisions made October 2011 – Summary of changes January 2012 – Revised Coordinator’s Manual released – Work with current CRS communities on implementing new program requirements See for the latest information on upcoming CRS revisions

Oklahoma CRS Workgroup Future CRS Program revisions should keep the Oklahoma CRS Workgroup busy on learning and reacting to changes in the system for quite some time. We would like to see more communities join and participate in the program also.

One More Note…… National policy talk is of moving the NFIP towards total actuarial rates for all flood insurance policies. If implemented, flood insurance rates would increase significantly, thereby making discounts provided by the CRS that much more critical to communities and citizens.

CRS Contacts Information Janine Ellington, CFM – ISO\CRS Specialist (Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico) 714 County Road 722 Buna, TX Gavin Brady, CFM – Oklahoma NFIP Coordinator Oklahoma Water Resources Board 440 South Houston, Room #2 Tulsa, OK Jeff Bigby, PE, CFM – Oklahoma CRS Workgroup Chairman 485 North Poplar Avenue Broken Arrow, OK ext

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