2010-252A (09) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Comprehensive Plan Conservation Element themselves. Consequently, floodplain management involves balancing economic gain from floodplain development against the resulting increase in flood hazards. To minimize potential off-site flooding impacts associate with development in SFHAs, the County's Stormwater Management and Flood Protection Ordinance requires that an equal volume of storage capacity be created on site for any volume of the base flood that is displaced by fill or structures within the SFHA. The County's policy should be to continue this requirement as it offsets development impacts within SFHAs. Within the county, SFHAs are depicted on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) that are produced by FEMA. Currently, FEMA is undertaking a FIRM modernization project in the county. This modernization project entails assessment of current available flood studies and use of up-to-date high resolution aerials to revise the County's FIRMs to be more accurate and useable in depicting flood zones. The FEMA map modernization project is on schedule to be completed in 2011. Going forward, the County should assist FEMA in modernizing the FIRMs by making local drainage studies available to FEMA and by conducting public information workshops to advise development professionals, as well as the general public, of the floodplain map modernization project. Currently, Indian River County participates in the Community Rating System (CRS) of the National Flood Insurance Protection (NFIP) program. By undertaking floodplain management activities beyond the minimum requirements of the NFIP, the County has achieved a CRS rating of 6, a rating which results in a 20% discount on all flood insurance premiums in the unincorporated county. By participating in the NFIP CRS, the County is conserving flood storage capacity and other natural functions and values of the 100 -year floodplain. For these reasons, the County should continue its participation in the CRS program and should maintain or improve its current CRS rating. Flora and Fauna Communities Native Upland Communities Over the past decade, the total acreage of all native plant communities in the county decreased. The loss of these plant communities is largely attributable to development of previously undeveloped lands within the Urban Service Area. Despite these losses, substantial progress has been made in the past ten years with respect to lands acquired for conservation and restoration or protected under conservation easements. These acquisitions include: o Federal acquisition of land on north Jungle Trail for expansion of the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (±500 acres); o State, SJRWMD and County acquisition of the Carson Platt Estate portion of the St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park (+5,334 acres of the overall +22,000 acre park); Community Development Department Indian River County 102