Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Leonard Vialpando
Department: Environmental Protection Division: Environmental Planning & Comm. Resilience
Information
Requested Action
title
MOTION TO DIRECT Office of the County Attorney to draft an Ordinance amending sections 27-192 and 27-200 (b) of the Broward County Code of Ordinances; providing for application of the Future Conditions 100-year Flood Elevation Map in establishing the lowest habitable finished floor elevation for development.
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Why Action is Necessary
Pursuant to Section 18.5(e) of the Broward County Administrative Code, the subject matter of a proposed Ordinance must be considered by the Board prior to the drafting of the proposed Ordinance.
What Action Accomplishes
Provides required direction to the Office of the County Attorney.
Is this Action Goal Related
Yes
Previous Action Taken
None
Summary Explanation/Background
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This item supports the Board’s Value of “Encouraging investments in renewable energy, sustainable practices and environmental protection,” and Goal 2: “Proactively lead in the planning, design, and construction of projects to support community resilience and climate adaptation, including coordination with other entities to foster resilient design as part of all local and regional projects.”
To ensure the resiliency of current and future infrastructure investments, it is necessary to modernize many aspects of regional planning and licensing requirements, it is no longer prudent to rely solely upon historic and current environmental conditions as the basis for infrastructure planning, design, and permitting.
On November 10, 2015, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners accepted the Updated Regional Sea Level Rise Projection (2015) of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact and directed staff to use the updated projection as the basis for sea level rise adaption planning. (Note: The 2019 Sea Level Rise was subsequently accepted by the Board on March 10, 2020, Item 28). On February 7, 2017, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners then directed staff to create and maintain a future conditions map series, to include average wet season water table elevations and 100-year flood elevations to account for predicted changes in water levels due to sea level rise and ensure the resilience of current and future infrastructure investments.
A future-conditions ground water elevation map was subsequently adopted by the Broward County Board of County Commissioner, effective June 30, 2017, and consultant services were later solicited to aid in the County’s development of a future conditions 100-year flood elevation map, to identify flood elevations predicted in 2060-2069 under conditions of compounded flooding.
The County’s 100-year flood elevation has been historically more protective than the federal flood insurance rate (FIRM) map. However, this map now requires update, to account for changes in hydrology, including sea level rise and rainfall intensification, and impacts on flood elevations. Future conditions 100-year flood elevations will provide an important tool in informing finished floor requirements necessary to reduce future flood risk under conditions of climate change and evolving flood risk.
The establishment of a future conditions 100-year flood elevation map constitutes yet another important milestone in the County’s efforts to help ensure community resilience by ensuring that future flood elevations are incorporated in the planning and design requirements for finished floor elevations for residential and commercial structures, an action that will help protect against future flood risk and potential losses, and preserve the affordability of flood insurance in Broward County. These actions will also help to bolster flood insurance premium discounts secured by local governments under the Community Rating System.
The proposed map is supported by the Broward County Water Advisory Board and its Technical Advisory Committee.
All amendments to the Broward County Land Development Code are reviewed by Broward County Planning Council, prior to Board action.
Source of Additional Information
Dr. Jennifer Jurado, Deputy Director, Broward County Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department, (954) 519-1464
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
No fiscal impact.