Local development regulations are often construed as being simply about community aesthetics. However, these regulations encompass far more than just aesthetics. Development regulations, such as building codes and elevation requirements, serve to make a community more resilient and signify the type of risk exposure a community is willing to bear.
Fires, floods and tornadoes are types of disasters that communities can better prepare themselves for by adopting and enforcing building codes and development standards addressing these adverse events.
When it comes to floods and floodplain management, the Elevation Certificate* (EC) is one of the most important tools the floodplain manager has for assessing a property’s flood risk and ensuring local regulatory and Community Rating System (CRS) requirements are being met.
Given the importance of ECs in local regulatory activities, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium has partnered with the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Schwalls Consulting LLC to put on an in-person, comprehensive workshop dedicated to the topic of ECs.
The day-long training will provide a step-by-step walk-through of the nine sections of the newly issued EC and how to complete them appropriately.
The presentation will include Mississippi and Alabama state requirements, minimum standards per FEMA guidance documents and regulations, and best practices for communities to implement at the local level, as well as for surveyors, engineers and architects completing the form.
While this presentation will include meeting the requirements of specific programs, such as the Community Rating System (CRS) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), it will primarily focus on completing the EC in a uniform manner in order to meet the needs of any program requiring a correct EC. The course will also review the changes between the newly released EC and the previous version, and it will provide guidance on changes to implementation and use.
Registration for the workshop is free, and lunch will be provided. Attendees will be eligible to receive 6 continuing education credits for certified floodplain managagers or 6 professional development hours (PDHs) for surveyors and engineers in Mississippi and Alabama.
PDHs may be awarded for other disciplines and states at the sole discretion of the relevant agency, and no warranty of reciprocity is being made.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 16, at the Biloxi Community Development Building located at 676 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
The maximum number of attendees for this event is capped at 30 people, so early registration is encouraged if you are interested in attending! Given the high prevalence of flooding in coastal Mississippi and Alabama, the need to understand ECs is not simply confined to the hall of your local code enforcement office. Surveyors, realtors, insurance officials and even local residents can benefit from understanding how to complete an EC and the importance of the certificate to the floodplain management practice.
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Meet the author
Stephen Deal
Extension Specialist (Land Use Planning)
Stephen works with floodplain managers, building officials, city officials, scientists and Sea Grant partners to provide information and training related to flood and storm resilience. He holds a... Read more
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