In one of the fastest-paced commission meetings in recent memory, most of the July 20 Monroe County Board of Commissioners meeting was spent hearing staff reports on flood mitigation assistance programs. , public programs offered by master gardeners, habitat conservation plans in Big Pine and unnamed keys, and language amendments in the county’s comprehensive plan regarding Adaptation Action Areas (AAAs).
A presentation from the county’s department of land acquisition and management highlighted the funds requested annually by the county through the state of Florida from FEMA to assist in flood mitigation efforts. Focusing on homes with repetitive damage over a 10-year period, the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program provides financing to homeowners who want to elevate or rebuild their properties above the minimum elevation of flood, or sell their properties outright, in search of a more flood-resilient community.
“Severe repetitive loss” properties, classified as homes with at least two separate National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims that exceed the market value of the home, are eligible for a grant from the 100%, while “repetitive loss” structures with at least two NFIP claims equaling or exceeding 25% of the market value of the structure are eligible for a 90% grant with a 10% matching requirement by the property owner.
Land Authority Executive Director Christine Hurley said that with no repetitive loss structures submitted in Monroe County’s 2021 funding application, the county has begun sending direct mail to qualified properties encouraging them to apply.
“I can’t stress enough how competitive the show is,” Hurley said. “Florida has never really been a player on this field. … I think it’s very important to note, however, that if you own property in Monroe County that has a repetitive loss structure, there’s a good chance you’ll become someone who could receive the grant.”
The county is accepting applications for the FY 2022 FMA grant, with applications closing around September 15. There are more details in https://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/768/Grant-Funding-Flood-Mitigation-Assistance.
Emily Schemper, senior director of planning and environmental resources, then gave a presentation on the county’s 16th Annual Monitoring Report (AMR), detailing progress conserving habitat for Key deer and other protected species in Big Pine and No Name Keys. Under a 2006 permit issued by US Fish and Wildlife, the county is allowed a limited take of endangered species in the area due to development. With a cap set on the total allowable impact of commercial, institutional, and residential development over the 20-year term of the permit, the county must mitigate any impacts to protected habitat with three times the value of the impact on conservation land acquisition.
“As of the end of 2021, our impact so far has only been… about 55% of the maximum allowable impact,” Schemper said. “We have acquired 99% of the maximum (mitigation land) that we would need to acquire if we were to achieve our full impact. … So we are in very good shape.”
According to Schemper, even if all permits competing for ROGO allocations were issued in the monitored area, the county would still have less than 60% of its allowable impact.
The board also chose to move forward with a draft framework for policy language regarding Adaptation Action Areas within the county. With the intention of eventually incorporating them into the county’s comprehensive plan, AAAs would identify the areas most vulnerable to coastal flooding and sea level rise and provide strategies to address those vulnerabilities. AAAs would allow the county to further prioritize funding for infrastructure needs and adaptation planning.
“It seems like a no-brainer to me to adopt these kinds of policies,” said Commissioner Holly Raschein. “We are already doing a lot of this work. I think it fits perfectly with our rugged nature; in a way we are leading the charge for the state.”