How Does the Community Rating System Work?
CRS communities are awarded points for their local floodplain management activities that exceed the NFIP minimum standards. Communities are placed into classes ranging from Class 10 (lowest class) to Class 1 (highest class) based on the total number of points accrued and other specific CRS requirements. All participating communities start out as a Class 10, which offers no flood insurance premium discount, and each class increase results in an additional 5% premium discount. A community attaining a Class 1 CRS rating is awarded a 45% discount in flood insurance premiums.
The CRS program contains 18 groups of activities under which Pinellas Park can acquire credit, and these groups are organized under four overarching categories: public information, mapping and regulations, flood damage reduction, and flood preparedness.
Activity Examples
Examples of these activities include:
- Maintaining information on FEMA elevation certificates and making them available to the public;
- Maintaining and providing information on flood insurance rate maps;
- Providing information on flood insurance purchase requirements;
- Conducting outreach to flood plain property owners through the mailing of a flood awareness brochures and face to face activities such as booths at community festivals;
- Making floodplain information available through public libraries and a website;
- Providing flood protection assistance to property owners through walk-in inquiries at the building department and customer information bulletins;
- Regulate development to address flooding issues;
- Implementation of a multi-year program of capital improvements to better manage stormwater;
- Has purchased properties and removed structures to reduce flood hazards;
- CRS credit is also provided based upon the City’s inspection and maintenance program of its drainage system.