The participating community will require an owner or builder to obtain a “Floodplain Permit” before construction begins. This permit is issued by the Community Planning office and requires property owners to build above the base flood elevation. Check with the local Community Planning office to determine your flood zone. If your building site is located in a Special Hazard Area, it is be wise to have a Licensed Land Surveyor, Professional Engineer, or Registered Architect come and set a temporary benchmark before construction begins. This will allow the builder to refer to the benchmark and build above the base flood elevation (BFE). Additionally, it will help you determine how much fill material is needed to raise your structure above the BFE which will result in lower Flood Insurance costs. Remember: building above the BFE results in lower Flood Insurance premiums; building below the BFE results in higher premiums.
Lower Flood Insurance premiums are available to property owners who build above the base flood elevation and do not have a basement or crawlspace. Buildings that have a basement or crawlspace requires flood openings in the foundation. These are openings on all sides of the basement or crawlspace walls that allow flood waters to flow freely through the space without building up hydrostatic pressure.
How do I go about getting Flood Insurance?
Applying for Flood Insurance is easy! Flood Insurance is available through about 90 Insurance companies in more than 20,300 participating communities nationwide.
Your chosen Insurance Agent will require a Flood Elevation Certificate which will have the necessary information to rate the policy. The premium charged for an accurately rated NFIP policy will be the same, regardless of from whom you purchase the policy. For more information on rates, premiums or maps contact your local Independent Insurance Agent.
Flood Elevation certificates can be turn into your local city or bourough office for safe keeping.
All information provided in this article was obtained from the following websites www.fema.gov or www.floodsmart.gov. For more information call Micheline Patterson at 907-456-6646 micheline@kenmurray.com or Doug Sims at the Fairbanks Nortstar Borough 907-459-1260 or Taunnie Boothby with the Alaska State Division of Community and Regional Affairs 907-269-4583.
