FLOOD SERVICES

FLOOD MAP DETERMINATION ASSISTANCE:

The Cumberland County Engineering Department administers the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance that regulates development within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) in the County. The SFHA represents the 100 year floodplain of creeks, streams and rivers, including the Cape Fear River, Rockfish Creek, Little Rockfish Creek, Beaver Creek, Bones Creek, Buckhead Creek, Carvers Creek, Cedar Falls Creek, Little River, Stewarts Creek, South River and others. The SFHA are mapped on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and/or a Flood Boundary and Floodway Map (FBFM). The 100 year flood is defined as the 1 percent probability flood. The Engineering Department maintains these maps for the unincorporated areas of Cumberland County as well as the towns of Linden, Godwin, Wade, Falcon and Stedman. The maps are available for public inspection at our office located in Room 214, Historic Courthouse, 130 Gillespie Street and the North Carolina Room in the Headquarters Library located at 300 Maiden Lane. In addition to the flood maps, the County Engineering Department also keeps on file, a copy of the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) that contains information about the principal flood problem areas in the County. The September 1945 flood is the maximum flood of record on the Cape Fear River and Little River and approximated the 100-year flood on each river. Widespread flooding of downtown Fayetteville occurred during this event. The FIS also contains specific information about flood velocities on the major rivers, creeks and streams in the County. We provide assistance to agencies, lenders, and the public by request through office visits, telephone, fax or mail in determining the status of a property with respect to the SFHA. To simplify the determination process, please bring or have available a street address and/or a Parcel Identification Number (P.I.N.) which can be obtained from the County Tax Office. If a parcel is determined to be within the SFHA then the property owner must comply with the requirements of the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance prior to undertaking any improvements on the property.

FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT PERMIT:

A Floodplain Development Permit (FPDP) will be required before any construction, placement of modular homes, or land disturbance may begin within the Special Flood Hazard Area. The FPDP will indicate the conditions that must be meet to allow the development of property within the SFHA. The typical conditions for residential construction include elevating to the base flood elevation, the lowest floor and attendant utilities, such as a heat pump, air conditioning compressor, and ductwork under a crawl space. In addition, the permit holder must provide an Elevation Certificate from a registered land surveyor or professional engineer documenting the lowest floor elevation. The Elevation Certificate is required before the County Inspections Department will issue a Certificate of Occupancy. The FPDP and Elevation Certificate may be obtained through the Engineering Department. The permit fee is $10.00.

SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT/DAMAGE REQUIREMENTS:

The National Flood Insurance Program requires that if the cost of reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvements to a building equals or exceeds 50% of the building's current market value, then the building must meet the same construction requirements as a new building. A building is considered substantially damaged if the cost of repairs equals or exceeds the value of the building before the damage. A substantially damaged building in a SFHA is subject to all the construction requirements of a new building including elevating the lowest habitable floor to the base flood elevation. The County Inspections Department will not issue a building permit for construction in a SFHA until the County Engineering Department issues a Floodplain Development Permit. A Certificate of Occupancy will not be issued for the building until the Inspections Department has evidence that a Elevation Certificate has been properly completed and submitted to the Engineering Department.

FLOOD SAFETY AND PROTECTION

FLOOD SAFETY MEASURES:

The following precautions should be taken before and during a flood event to protect your home and family:

• If your home has sustained flood or water damage, and you can safely get to the main breaker or fuse box, turn off the power.

• Assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged. This includes cable TV feeds.

• Be aware of and avoid downed utility lines. Report downed or damaged power lines to the utility company or emergency services.

• Remove standing water, wet carpets and furnishings. Air dry your home with good ventilation before restoring power.

• Have a licensed electrician check your home for damage.

• Generators are often used during power outages. Unless generators are properly used and maintained, they can be very hazardous. Use a generator or other fuel-powered machines outside the home. CO fumes are odorless and can quickly overwhelm you indoors.

• Shut off the main gas valve to your home. Leaking above ground gas lines, damaged or leaking gas or propane containers, and leaking vehicle gas tanks may explode or ignite.

• Have disaster supplies on hand, including, flashlights and extra batteries, portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries tuned to a local station, and follow emergency instructions, first aid kit and manual, emergency food and bottled water, non-electric can opener, essential medicines, cash and credit cards, and sturdy shoes.

• Plan and practice an evacuation route.

• Move valuables, such as papers, furs, jewelry, and clothing to upper floors or higher elevations.

• Fill bathtubs, sinks and plastic soda bottles with clean water. Sanitize the sinks and tubs first by using bleach. Rinse, then fill with clean water.

• Bring outdoor possessions, such as lawn furniture, grills and trash cans inside, or tie them down securely.

• Don't drive through a flooded area. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. More people drown in their cars than anywhere else.

• If your car stalls, abandon it immediately and climb to higher ground. Many deaths have resulted from attempts to move stalled vehicles.

• Don't walk through flooded areas. As little as six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.

FLOOD PROTECTION MEASURES:

There are many things a homeowner may do to protect their home and property from flood damage depending on the flood hazard potential in your area, the characteristics of your property, and the local zoning and building codes. Some methods are fairly simple and inexpensive, while others require the assistance of a professional contractor. Flood protection measures include:

• Retrofitting projects such as elevating buildings and utilities above flood levels, dry floodproofing, wet floodproofing, and protecting basements from sewer backup.

• Grading your property so that storm water runoff is away from the foundation of the house.

• Correcting local drainage problems on your property.

• Emergency measures such as moving furniture and other personal property to upper floors where feasible.

• Constructing barriers such as earthen berms and floodwalls or temporary measures such as sandbagging to create a dam around your house.

It is important to know the flood risk to your property in order to determine what flood protection measures are appropriate for your situation. Contact the County Engineering Department to check whether or not your property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area.

FLOOD INSURANCE

NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM (NFIP):

Our community, covering the Unincorporated Areas of Cumberland County, participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP makes federally backed flood insurance available for all buildings, whether they are in a SFHA or not. Flood insurance covers direct losses caused by surface flooding, including a river flowing over its banks, a lake or ocean storm, and local drainage problems. The NFIP insures buildings, including mobile homes, with two types of coverage, structural and contents. Structural coverage is for the walls, floors, insulation, furnace, and other items permanently attached to the structure. Contents coverage may be purchased separately provided the contents are in an insurable building. There is a 30-day waiting period before NFIP coverage takes effect. Contact your insurance agent for more information on rates and coverage.

MANDATORY PURCHASE REQUIREMENT:

The mandatory purchase requirement applies to all forms of federal or federally related financial assistance for buildings located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). This requirement affects loans and grants for the purchase, construction, repair, or improvement of any publicly or privately owned building in the SFHA, including machinery, equipment, fixtures, and furnishings contained in such buildings. Financial assistance programs affected include loans and grants from agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, USDA-Rural Development, Federal Housing Administration, Small Business Administration, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. The requirement also applies to secured mortgage loans from financial institutions, such as commercial lenders, savings and loan associations, savings banks, and credit unions that are regulated, supervised or insured by Federal agencies such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of Thrift Supervision. It also applies to all mortgage loans purchased by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac in the secondary mortgage market.

HOW IT WORKS:

Before a loan or other financial assistance from one of the affected agencies or lenders can be secured, the location of the building must be determined with respect to the SFHA. If the structure is located in the SFHA, shown as one or more zones that begin with the letter "A" on the FIRM or FBFM, the agency or lender is required by law to require the recipient to purchase a flood insurance policy on the building. The requirement is for structural coverage equal to the amount of the loan (or other financial assistance) or the maximum amount available, whichever is less. The maximum amount available for a single-family house is $250,000. The mandatory purchase requirement does not affect loans or financial assistance for items that are not covered by a flood insurance policy, such as vehicles, business expenses, landscaping, and vacant lots. It does not affect loans for buildings that are not in the SFHA, even though a portion of the lot may be flood prone. While not mandated by law, a lender may require a flood insurance policy as a condition of a loan for a property in any zone on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or a Flood Boundary and Floodway Map (FBFM).