1. Preliminary DFIRM Community Coordination (PDCC) Meeting Hamilton & Suwannee Counties, FL
February 8, 2016

2. Agenda Introductions Study Process and Timeline
Overview of Preliminary Products
Overview of Map Adoption Process
Looking at the Maps
Questions and Answers

3. Introductions

4. Meeting Objectives Community Engagement
understanding of project scope and changes to mapping products
feedback on preliminary mapping products
understanding of statutory rights, process, and schedule forward
understanding of regulatory requirements

5. Study Process & Timeline
Previous Projects
Hamilton County – Revised Countywide 6/4/2010
Suwannee County – Initial Countywide 9/28/2007, Live Oak Revision 4/16/2013
Existing Projects
Upper Suwannee Risk MAP
Amec Foster Wheeler (formerly AMEC) & North Florida Professional Services
Parts of Columbia, Hamilton and Suwannee Counties
Discovery Meeting – 8/7/2012
Interim Meetings – Summer 2014
FRR / Resilience Meeting – 6/23/2015
Preliminary Issuance for Hamilton and Suwannee Counties – 11/17/2015

6. Scope of Work Hamilton County Regulatory
Redelineation of approximately miles of the Suwannee River
Redelineation of Suwannee River Unnamed Tributary
Revision of 6 FIRM Panels
Suwannee County Regulatory
Redelineation of approximately 3.5 miles of the Suwannee River
Revision of 3 FIRM Panels
Non-Regulatory
Flood Depth & Analysis Grids for New Studies & Redelineation Miles, including Picket & Adams Lakes
Changes Since Last FIRM GIS Layer
Flood Risk Map & Report
Average Annual Loss GIS Layer for County

7. Scope of Work

8. Revisions to the Regulatory Products Flood Insurance Rate Map

9. Revisions to the Regulatory Products Flood Insurance Report

10. Summary of Map Actions (SOMA)
There are four possible categorizations for LOMCs on the SOMA, as follows:
Category 1 – LOMCs Incorporated
Category 2 – LOMCs Not Incorporated
Category 3 – LOMCs Superseded
Category 4 – LOMCs To Be Re-determined
LOMCs in Category 2 will be issued on a revalidation letter when the effective maps are issued

11. Summary of Map Actions
Reasons a LOMC would be added to Category 3 (superseded)
Lowest Adjacent Grade to the structure (LAG) is below the proposed Base Flood Elevation
Lowest Ground/Lot Elevation (LLE) is below the proposed Base Flood Elevation
Category 4 includes LOMCs In Question which cannot be entirely revalidated nor can they be entirely superseded. These LOMCs would originally have had multiple structure or multiple properties identified as the focus of the determination.

12. Post Preliminary Processing Schedule
We are here
Preliminary Maps Issued
PDCC Meeting and Public Open House
End of Appeal & Comment Period
Letter of Final Determination
Effective Maps
Preliminary
Phase
Meetings
90-Day Appeal & Comment Period
Resolve Appeals & Finalize Map Products
6-Month Compliance
Period

13. Hamilton & Suwannee Schedule
Prelimin ary Map Products
Novemb er 17, 2015
PDCC Meeting
Februar y 8, 2016
Appeal/
Comment Period
March - June 2016
Letter of Final Determi nation Issued
July
2016
January 2017
Effective Maps
Community Compliance Period
July 2016 – January 2017

14. Appeal and Comment Period
Hamilton & Suwannee Counties will have a 90-day appeal period for all changes to Special Flood Hazard Areas.
SFHA changes will be published in the Federal Register
SFHA changes will be published in your local newspapers
March 2016* will begin the 90-day appeal period
*estimated time
Appeals are for all SFHA changes

15. Appeal and Comment Period
The appeal and comment period notification will be published in the following newspapers:
Suwannee Democrat
Hamilton County newspaper?
Others?

16. What is an Appeal?
The new or revised BFEs are believed to be scientifically or technically incorrect
The BFEs are scientifically incorrect if:
The methodology used and assumptions made in the determination of the BFEs is inappropriate or incorrect
The BFEs are technically incorrect if:
The methodology was not applied correctly or was based on insufficient or poor-quality data.
The methodology did not account for the effects of physical changes that have occurred in the floodplain.

17. Data Submission
Explanation for alternative methodology Hydrologic Analysis Hydraulic Analysis Revised Flood Profiles Revised Floodplain and Floodway Boundary delineations

18. Appeal and Comment Period
All other changes are considered Comments
Hamilton and Suwannee Counties will also have a comment period.
Comments do not involve BFEs.
Comments include, but are not limited to, the following:
Channels Names and Locations
Road Names and Locations
Corporate Limit Changes

19. Appeal and Comment Period
Please direct your comments to your local floodplain administrator. Your local floodplain administrator can submit all appeals and comments to:
Brian Kauffman
Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 CR 49
Live Oak, FL
We will not move forward until your appeals and comments are resolved.

20. Process After the 90-day appeal period has elapsed, FEMA:
By a letter to the CEO, will acknowledge receipt of all appeals submitted.
Will review all appeals and the supporting data submitted with the appeal.
If additional supporting data is required, will be request by letter.
If appeals are not supported by data, will inform the CEO by letter that the appeals are denied.

21. Process
If appeals are adequately supported, will revise the BFEs and any other information affected by the appeals.
Will revise the FIRM if necessary.
A letter that explains the resolution of the appeals will be sent to the CEO.
The community will have 30 days to review and comment on the resolution.
FEMA will issue a final BFE determination letter.

22. Letter of Final Determination
After the 90-day appeal period and all appeals and comments have been resolved, FEMA will issue a Letter of Final Determination (LFD)
Along with the LFD, the Final Summary of Map Actions (SOMA) will be sent, informing the community of Letters of Map Change that will be revalidated or superseded
The LFD begins a 6-month Compliance Period, during which the community will adopt the new maps into their floodplain ordinance

23. Compliance Period
Communities may be contacted by FL State NFIP staff or by FEMA Region 4 staff offering assistance with reviewing & updating their floodplain ordinance.
Ordinance may require an update to adopt the new FIS, FIRM, and all supporting technical data.
Once the LFD letter is received, providing the effective date of the new FIS and FIRMs, the ordinance may be updated at any time.
**Ordinance level will not change based on these revisions

24. Compliance Period
After adoption, copy is sent to the FL NFIP office and to FEMA Region 4 for review.
Update files showing the community’s ordinance is NFIP compliant.
If we do not receive the updated ordinance before the effective date, the community will be suspended from the NFIP……
Please begin the ordinance review process as soon as you receive the LFD!

25. Compliance Period
Technical support can be obtained by phone or e- mail
For more information, please contact Florida’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Office:
Steve Martin

26. Effective Maps
After the Compliance Period ends, communities will receive:
Paper copies of the effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Insurance Study Report, as well as digital data
A Revalidation Letter, informing the community of all Letters of Map Change that have been revalidated on the new maps

27. Opportunities to Update the Maps
A Flood Insurance Study Update is NOT the only time that your maps can be updated.
Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA), MT-1 Form
Letter of Map Revision - Fill (LOMR-F), MT-1 Form
Letter of Map Revision (LOMR), MT-2 Form

28. Letter of Map Change (MT-1)
Provides an administrative procedure where by FEMA will review information submitted by an owner of property who believes that his or her property has been inadvertently included in a designated special flood hazard area.
Download MT-1 Forms at:

29. Letter of Map Revision (MT-2)
Applicable any time better data is available
Based on the changes to the hydrologic or hydraulic characteristics of a flooding source, that results in the modification of the  Base Flood Elevations, floodway, and/or  the Special Flood Hazard Area.
Is a modification to an effective Flood Insurance Rate Map. The LOMR officially revises the Flood Insurance Rate Map.
Download Forms at:

30. Looking at the Maps: Risk and Flood Insurance
Determine your flood risk
Nearly everyone is at risk of flooding:
High Risk – Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), identified as Zone A, Zone AE, V or VE on flood maps
Moderate Risk – Identified as shaded Zone X on flood maps
Low Risk – Identified as unshaded Zone X areas on flood maps

31. Looking at the Maps: Risk and Flood Insurance
Requirements in a High-Risk Zone
Federally-regulated lenders making new loans or modifying existing loans secured by a building in the SFHA must require the borrower to purchase flood insurance for the term of the loan

32. Looking at the Maps: Risk Change Scenarios
If Maps Show…
These Requirements, Options And Savings Apply
Change from low or moderate flood risk to high risk ( flood zone B, C, or X to zone A, AE, AH or AO)
Flood insurance is mandatory. Flood insurance will be federally required for most mortgage holders. Insurance costs may rise to reflect the true (high) risk.
Change from high flood risk to low or moderate risk (e.g., flood zone A, AE, AH, AO, to X or shaded X)
Flood insurance is optional but recommended. The risk has only been reduced, not removed.  Flood insurance can still be obtained, and at lower rates. About 25 percent of all flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas.
Conversion offers savings.  An existing policy can be easily converted to a lower-cost Preferred Risk Policy, if the building qualifies. Note that lenders always have the option to require flood insurance in these areas.
Increase in the Base Flood Elevation (BFE)
An increase in BFE can result in higher premiums; however, “grandfathering” can offer savings.  The National Flood Insurance Program grandfathering rules allow policyholders who have built in compliance with the flood map in effect at the time of construction to keep the earlier base flood elevation to calculate their insurance rate. This could result in significant savings.
No change in risk level
No change in insurance rates.  However, this is a good time to review your coverages and ensure that your building and contents are adequately protected. 

33. Additional Resources
Community Engagement Website:
View Risk MAP Products
View Scope of Work
Download Relevant Documents
View Execution Schedule
Search for an Address
SRWMD Website:

34. Questions and Answers Brian Kauffman Brad Heilwagen, PE, CFM
Suwannee River
Water Management District
9225 CR 49
Live Oak, FL
Brad Heilwagen, PE, CFM
Amec Foster Wheeler
Environment & Infrastructure
3800 Ezell Road, Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37211