![]() ![]() Many communities decided to adopt this model ordinance, including Cecil County. This was done through the development of a strong Floodplain Mitigation Plan with the support of city departments, community leaders and the public.įEMA, the State of Maryland and local communities developed the Maryland Model Floodplain Management Ordinance to integrate National Flood Insurance Program requirements with state permitting requirements. On the bayfront, grants from FEMA and the Department of Housing and Development funded new bulkheading and pumping stations.Īs a leader in Long Island in resilience, the city has worked hard to achieve and maintain a level of 7 in the Community Rating System program to reduce flood insurance costs. Plans were also put into place to protect the city by rebuilding the ocean-side boardwalk with storm protection and protecting dunes through a U.S. When adopting new zoning code regulations, the city found that timing their message about the importance of stronger building codes was critical. City officials made changes to the zoning code to allow for higher building heights as homes were being raised to meet FEMA requirements. Long Beach has both AE and VE zones on the community’s effective flood map. In the recovery immediately following Hurricane Sandy, the city’s first priority was to assist residents in rebuilding and returning to their home and reopening businesses. ![]() There was damage throughout the entire community, with 6 feet of sand covering the city center.īefore Hurricane Sandy, the city had never experienced such a powerful storm, and resilience was not a priority for residents or community leaders. During Hurricane Sandy, the community was flooded from both the Atlantic Ocean and the bayside surrounding the city. The City of Long Beach is on a barrier island off of Long Island, New York. Because of these higher standards, new or substantially improved properties in areas that were once exposed to sunny day or high-tide flooding are now better protected. The town’s proactive outreach and engagement generated a positive outlook by the community about the more stringent regulations. Recognizing the benefits of adopting the higher standards, Babylon held workshops through the New York State Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association and worked with its building department to directly communicate the updated standards to developers and architects in the area. Babylon already had Zone VE on their maps and were familiar with the building codes and standards required, but this change meant that they had to apply and communicate the stronger codes and standards to a broader area. Three years later, the State of New York updated the state building code to require that communities regulate the Coastal A Zone to Zone VE standards. In 2012, the town saw firsthand the damage waves can cause during Hurricane Sandy. In 2009, they were one of the first communities to adopt effective flood maps that included the LiMWA. The Town of Babylon is on the southern shore of Long Island and participates in the NFIP. Zone VE floodplain management and construction standards are not required in the Coastal A Zone, but they are strongly recommended. Where available, the LiMWA line on coastal flood maps marks the inland limit of the Coastal A Zone. FEMA developed the Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) to show communities where waves greater than 1.5 feet high may cause damage. However, decades of post-storm observation have shown FEMA that waves as small as 1.5 feet can significantly damage buildings that were not built to withstand wave hazards. FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requires stricter floodplain management and construction requirements for structures in Zone VE to account for these hazards. Zone VE is used on flood maps to indicate areas where wave action and fast-moving water can cause extensive damage during the base flood event, with wave heights of 3 feet or higher. Within the SFHA, Zone VE is the zone closest to the shoreline. On FEMA flood maps, the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) shows high-risk areas that would be affected by the 1%-annual-chance flood (or base flood). In coastal communities across the country, residents may not know their property is at risk from wave damage.
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