Floodplain Management

The Floodplain Manager for Berkeley County is Penny Ayers. She can be reached by phone at 843-719-4266, by email at vog.csytnuocyelekrebobfsctd@sreya.ynnep or by departmental email, marked to her attention, at vog.csytnuocyelekrebobfsctd@edcbew.

Yes, flood insurance is mandatory if your lender has determined your home is in the floodplain or at risk. However, checking with your local floodplain administrator or the FEMA maps will ensure the lender has correctly identified your parcel.

Also, if your home is in the floodplain, getting an Elevation Certificate will provide details that may qualify for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA), which would eliminate most mandatory insurance requirements. This application and information about LOMA’s can be obtained at the Berkeley County Administration Building in the Planning and Zoning Department.

Yes, there are building regulations and a separate flood ordinance that help determine flood mitigation designs for all structures built in the FEMA floodplains. This information can also be obtained at the Berkeley County Administration Building in the Planning and Zoning Dept.

Fema publications can be requested at the Berkeley County Administration Building in the Planning and Zoning department. Some publications are free to the public. There are also publications for view or check-out in the Moncks Corner and Goose Creek libraries.

In support of the NFIP, FEMA identifies flood hazard areas throughout the U. S. and its territories by producing Flood Hazard Boundary Maps (FBMs), Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Several areas of flood hazards are commonly identified on these maps. One of these areas is the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), a high-risk area defined as any land that would be inundated by a flood having a 1-percent chance of occurring in any given year (also referred to as the base flood).

The high-risk-area standard constitutes a reasonable compromise between the need for building restrictions to minimize potential loss of life and property and the economic benefits to be derived from floodplain development. Development may take place within the SFHA, provided that development complies with local floodplain management ordinances, which must meet the minimum Federal requirements. Flood insurance is required for insurable structures within high-risk areas to protect Federal financial investments and assistance used for acquisition and/or construction purposes within communities’ participation in the NFIP.

For virtually every mortgage transaction involving a structure in United States, the lender reviews the current NFIP maps for the community in which the property is located to determine its location relative to the published SFHA and completes the Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form (SFHDF). If the lender determines that the structure is indeed located within the SFHA and the community is participating in the NFIP, the borrower is then notified that flood insurance will be required as a condition of receiving the loan. A similar review and notification is completed whenever a loan is sold on the secondary loan market or perhaps when the lender completes a routine review of its mortgage portfolio. This fulfills the lender’s obligation under the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 that requires the mandatory purchase of flood insurance by property owners who are being assisted by Federal programs or by Federally regulated institutions in the acquisition or improvement of land, or facilities, or structures located within an SFHA.

There is normally a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance goes into effect. There are two basic exceptions:

1. If the initial purchase of flood insurance is in connection with the making, increasing, extending, or renewing of a loan, there is no waiting period. The coverage becomes effective at the time of the loan, provided the application and presentment of premium are made at or prior to loan closing.
2. If the initial purchase of flood insurance is made during the 13-month period following the revision or update of a Flood Insurance Rate Map for the community, there is a 1-day waiting period.
   1. In addition to the two basic exceptions, FEMA has issued a policy decision specifying the following four exceptions: The 30-day waiting period will not apply when there is an existing insurance policy and an additional amount of flood insurance is required in connection with the making, increasing, extending, or renewing of a loan, such as a second mortgage, home equity loan, or refinancing. The increased amount of flood coverage will be effective as of the time of the loan closing, provided the increased amount of coverage is applied for and presentment of additional premium is made at or prior to the loan closing.
   2. The 30-day waiting period will not apply when an additional amount if insurance is required as a result of a map revision. The increased amount of coverage will be effective at 12:01 a. m. on the first calendar day after the date the increased amount of coverage is applied for and presentment of additional premium is made.
   3. The 30-day waiting period will not apply when flood insurance is required as a result of a lender’s determining a loan that does not have flood insurance coverage should be protected by flood insurance. The coverage will be effective upon the completion of an application and the presentment of payment of premium.
   4. The 30-day waiting period will not apply when an additional amount of insurance offered in the renewal bill is being obtained in connection with the renewal of a policy.

Anyone can view Elevations Certificates we have on file by using our certificate search feature on the Floodplain Management webpage or by contacting the Floodplain Manager at 843-719-4266. These documents are kept on file in perpetuity by
the County.

Because Berkeley County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), most properties in the county are eligible to purchase federally subsidized flood insurance. Standard home insurance policies do not cover flood damage, therefore, if you do not have a mandatory flood policy it’s important to determine if your home is at risk. It’s also important to know there is typically a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase until your policy becomes effective. Flood policies can secure coverage for residential properties up to $250,000 for buildings and up to $100,000 for building contents, which can be purchased together or independently. Commercial property is similar with coverage limits at $500,000 for the building and $500,000 for contents. Rating information and further discussion can be found at www.floodsmart.gov

It is important for residents to familiarize themselves with surrounding flood hazards such as swamps, streams, rivers, lakes, or low areas that hold stormwater. You can use the County GIS Mapping System to research properties by address, tax map number, or owner name, and use mapping layers including FEMA Flood Data, National Wetlands Inventory, Berkeley County Hurricane Surge and Water Layers to gain knowledge of potential flood hazards (gis.berkeleycountysc.gov). The County website also allows you to search for available Elevation Certificates that may give you more information about a homes potential flood threat. (https://assessor.berkeleycountysc.gov/floodcert_search.php).

If your property is located within a FEMA designated flood area, please contact the County Permitting Dept or Floodplain Management before starting any construction projects on your parcel. This will ensure the County reviews all necessary documents that may be needed, such as an Elevation Certificate, and discuss what flood mitigation strategies should be used before issuing necessary permits. It’s more costly to fix building construction mistakes post-construction rather than properly plan.

Floodplains are low-lying areas that are susceptible to inundation by floodwaters from any source. Undeveloped floodplains provide many natural resources and functions of considerable economic, social, and environmental value. They include wetlands, fertile soils, rare and endangered plants and animals, and sites of archaeological and historical significance. Two of many issues that result from floodplain development are: development alters the floodplain and the dynamics of flooding, and buildings and infrastructure are damaged by periodic flooding. It’s important to protect our floodplains by promoting green infrastructure, restoring floodplain habitats, and alleviate littering and/or dumping in floodplains.

If you know your home is in an area that floods and/or in a FEMA designated flood zone, make sure that items subject to water damage such as furnaces, HVAC, and electrical equipment are above the flood level. You should also store important documents in a high, waterproof container. If your home has a crawlspace, check that you have venting on at least two sides of the foundation walls and that the vents are permanently open. Make sure you clear any debris from gutters and downspouts to avoid an accumulation of water. If you have a flood insurance policy, spring is a good time to review the terms and limits. You can find more helpful information about flood preparation at ready.gov/floods.