The County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which provides federally backed flood insurance within our community of unincorporated County. Under this program we adopted and enforce our floodplain management ordinance to regulate development in flood hazard areas to minimize flood damage to future development.
The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program for NFIP participating communities. The goals of the CRS are to reduce flood damages to insurable property, strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP, and encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management. The CRS has been developed to provide incentives in the form of premium discounts for communities to go beyond the minimum floodplain management requirements to develop extra measures to provide protection from flooding.
The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency determined that Contra Costa County has improved to a Class 5 in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System.
This improvement in our CRS rating from a Class 6 to a Class 5 is the result of the floodplain management measures that we have implemented which exceed the minimum national standards. These measures include activities in four main categories: Public Information, Mapping and Regulation, Flood Damage Reduction, and Flood Preparedness. The efforts include not just building related regulations but having policies on land use in our General Plan, zoning ordinances, and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan that addresses flooding.
With this improved rating the flood insurance premiums for Contra Costa County’s residents and businesses qualify for a 25 percent discount for NFIP policies issued or renewed in the Special Flood Hazard Areas effective May 1, 2018.
Contra Costa County is now one of only 9 communities in California with a Class 5 or better rating among over 100 participating communities.
Mr. Blackburn was unable to attend the meeting, the presentation was given by Juliette Hayes, FEMA.