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| Carrie Gudorf (center), Mesa County Regulatory Programs Manager, accepts a FEMA Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Award on Aug. 16 at the Board of Mesa County Commissioners' public hearing. |
Mesa County has been honored with a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Award because our community has undertaken a series of meaningful activities to protect its citizens from losses caused by flooding. The County has significantly exceeded the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) participation and effective floodplain management requirements.
Mesa County is a participant in the NFIP — an agreement between local communities and the Federal Government that states if a community will adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance to reduce future flood risks to new construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas, in return the Federal Government will make flood insurance available. Communities that are fully compliant with the NFIP can apply to be part of the Community Rating System.
Mesa County also participates in the Community Rating System (CRS), a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages the community to engage in good floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the NFIP.
In CRS communities, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the communities' efforts that address three goals of the program:
1.Reducing and avoiding flood damage to insurable properties; and
2.Strengthen and support the insurance aspect of the NFIP; and
3.Foster Comprehensive flood management.
CRS uses a class rating system to determine flood insurance premium reductions for residents. Our community has engaged in additional mitigation activities, and our residences became eligible for an increased NFIP policy premium discount.
Each CRS rating improvement produces a 5% greater discount on flood insurance premiums for properties within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). A community accrues points to improve its CRS class rating and receives increasingly higher discounts. Points are awarded for engaging in any of the 19 creditable activities, organized under 4 categories, including (1) Public information; (2) Mapping and regulations; (3) Flood Damage Reduction, and (4) Warning and response.
Mesa County is proud to receive its 5-year review on the CRS program – Community Rating System rating. This year we received a rating of 7 down from a CRS rating 8 in 2015. A class 7 provides a 15% discount for properties in the SFHA and a discount for properties outside the SHFA 5%. Mesa County earned at least 1,500 points to receive this rating. A class 1 is 4,500 points.