What is Flood Plain Management?

Martin County Flood Plain Management revolves around the operation of a community program of corrective and preventative measures for reducing flood damage.  These measures take a variety of forms and generally include zoning requirements, subdivision and building restrictions, and special-purpose flood plain ordinances.

How does this affect Martin County residents?

A community's agreement to adopt and enforce flood plain management ordinances, particularly with respect to new construction, is an important element in making federally backed flood insurance available (and affordable) to home and business owners.  The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a voluntary program with a quid pro quo approach.

Currently, over 20,100 communities voluntarily adopt and enforce local flood plain management ordinances that provide flood loss reduction building standards for new and existing development.

For more information contact your insurance agent or call 1-888-379-9531 or visit www.floodsmart.gov

What is the National Flood Insurance Program?

To encourage communities to establish sound flood plain management programs that recognize and exceed the minimum NFIP requirements, the  Community Rating System   (CRS) was created.  The CRS reflects, in discounted flood insurance rates, the level of community participation in mitigating the potential and/or extent of flood damage.

NFIP requires that, if the cost for reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvements to your building equals or exceeds 50% of the building's market value, the building must be brought up to meet current codes, including elevated above the base flood elevation.

All developments in the flood plain need local permits.  Contact the Engineering Dept. at 772-288-5956 before you build, fill, or otherwise develop within the flood plain.  Contact the Engineering Department to report any illegal flood plain development.

Flood Plain Management Resources

To help State and local officials in implementing the NFIP, FEMA provides the following resources:

• Adoption of Flood Insurance Rate Maps by Participating Communities
• NFIP Policy Keyword Index