Who oversees flood zone development?

All developments in flood zone areas, in Florida and the United States overall, are overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). If you’re an owner, contractor, or authorized personnel trying to renovate, construct, repair, move or demolish a property, you’ve got to operate within FEMA guidelines as well. 

Permit applications should include information like:

• Scope of the construction/development
• Location
• Info re: whether or not construction is new or for existing property
• Street grades
• Finished grades
• Flood hazard areas
• Design flood elevations

Minimum flood plan criteria

Depending on the type of work being done—commercial or residential—there’ll be different criteria you’ll need to match in order to be up to code. Let’s look at residential buildings structural requirements as an example. 

Residential buildings structural requirements:

• Flood hazard areas
• Flood zones
• Design zone
• Elevations
• Lowest floor elevations
• Enclosures
• Equipment
• Flood damage resistant materials

You’ll also need to submit an elevation certificate to the corresponding authority who’s got jurisdiction in a flood zone. In addition, you’ll have to submit a lowest elevation certification as part of the fina; inspection. 

Types of flood zones

Flooding isn’t the same in every area. Different Miami neighborhoods are under different Flood Zones, which are part of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). These help illustrate flood hazards throughout Miami Dade county as well as flood insurance policy rates. 

Zone AE (Moderate to High Flooding Risk)

This category corresponds to areas with flood depths greater than three feet. Residents living in Zone AE are required to purchase flood insurance as a result. 

Zone AH (Moderate to High Flooding Risk)

These are areas with a 1% chance of shallow flood with an average depth of ranging one to three feet. 

Zone AO (Sheet Flow)

This category refers to areas with a 1% or greater chance of shallow flooding with an average depth of ranging one to three feet, especially on sloping land. 

Zone VE (High Flooding Risk)

This is the Flood Zone that corresponds to coastal areas that will have additional hazards associated with storm waves.

Zone D

Areas with possible but undetermined flood hazards. In other words, no flood analysis has been done for these areas. As a result insurance rates are commensurate with the uncertainty of the flood risk.

Zone X

This is a flood insurance designation that refers to areas that are outside the flood plain or those with average flood depths of less than one foot.

Debowsky Design Group

Every construction or renovation project requires that you comply with FEMA and flood regulations. It helps maintain safety during flooding and storm season. Understanding these regulations can help make your project run as smoothly as possible. That’s why it’s important to work with professionals on any major construction or renovation project. That’s why it’s important for you to work with Debowsky Design Group, Miami’s premier architectural firm.