Lawrence County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This program was established to promote sensible floodplain management and ease the burden of losses. The NFIP provides a major subsidy to offset the cost of flood insurance to participating communities.
The federal government has the responsibility to identify and map the flood hazard areas of all communities. Congress authorized FEMA to identify the flood hazard areas, make maps available, and make insurance available at reasonable rates. Flood insurance is not available in communities that do not participate. The federal government will make flood insurance available only in those communities that agree to adopt and enforce an ordinance or regulations.
FEMA has asked that each state appoint an agency to be the coordinator for the floodplain management program, to assist with the organization of the NFIP. The agency in Ohio is the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Soil and Water Resources (ODNR-DWSR). The state's responsibilities are outlined in the NFIP regulations at 44 CFR §60.25. One of the state's important roles in the NFIP is to provide the authority for communities to adopt proper ordinances/regulations. The Floodplain Program has developed model regulations that are compliant with the minimum NFIP standards and assists communities in adopting and amending their own floodplain management regulations.
Communities that can participate in the NFIP include villages, cities, and counties (unincorporated areas). Townships do not have the necessary authority to participate in the NFIP independently; they automatically participate if the County participates.
Because states have empowered communities to regulate land use, and because Congress believed it was more appropriate for development to be regulated at the local level, the NFIP was designed to function as an "exchange" type program. Congress would underwrite flood insurance in return for the community's adoption and administration of regulations for development in floodplains. Specifically, community responsibilities include:
LAWRENCE COUNTY SPECIAL PURPOSE FLOOD DAMAGE REDUCTION RESOLUTION (FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS)
SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION
The federal government has the responsibility to identify and map the flood hazard areas of all communities. Congress authorized FEMA to identify the flood hazard areas, make maps available, and make insurance available at reasonable rates. Flood insurance is not available in communities that do not participate. The federal government will make flood insurance available only in those communities that agree to adopt and enforce an ordinance or regulations.
FEMA has asked that each state appoint an agency to be the coordinator for the floodplain management program, to assist with the organization of the NFIP. The agency in Ohio is the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Soil and Water Resources (ODNR-DWSR). The state's responsibilities are outlined in the NFIP regulations at 44 CFR §60.25. One of the state's important roles in the NFIP is to provide the authority for communities to adopt proper ordinances/regulations. The Floodplain Program has developed model regulations that are compliant with the minimum NFIP standards and assists communities in adopting and amending their own floodplain management regulations.
Communities that can participate in the NFIP include villages, cities, and counties (unincorporated areas). Townships do not have the necessary authority to participate in the NFIP independently; they automatically participate if the County participates.
Because states have empowered communities to regulate land use, and because Congress believed it was more appropriate for development to be regulated at the local level, the NFIP was designed to function as an "exchange" type program. Congress would underwrite flood insurance in return for the community's adoption and administration of regulations for development in floodplains. Specifically, community responsibilities include:
- Adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations
- Require permits for all types of development in the floodplain
- Assure that building sites are reasonably safe from flooding
- Require new or improved homes or manufactured homes be elevated above the base flood elevation (BFE)
- Require other buildings be elevated or dry floodproofed (made watertight)
- Conduct field inspections and cite violations
- Require elevation certificates to document compliance
- Resolve non-compliance and violations
- Cooperate with FEMA by periodically responding to requests for information
LAWRENCE COUNTY SPECIAL PURPOSE FLOOD DAMAGE REDUCTION RESOLUTION (FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS)
SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION