Alex Dambach, AICP

Planning Supervisor

Lauren Pruss, AICP

Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development

Peter M. Schwarz, AICP

Director of Community and Economic Development    

Establishment of a Program for Public Information (PPI) Board as part of the City’s National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System (CRS) efforts.

Legislative History: The City Commission approved this item on first reading at their October 6, 2020 meeting by a vote of 5-0.

Issue Statement: Staff seeks to establish a Program for Public Information Board (PPI) to maintain the City's Community Rating System Class Rating and corresponding flood insurance discount for residents.   

Recommended Action: The City Commission conduct a public hearing and adopt the Ordinance on second reading approving the establishment of a Program for Public Information (PPI) Board. 

Background:  The City of Oakland Park participates in the Community Rating System (CRS), a national program developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities resulting in discounted flood insurance rates.  The CRS uses a point system similar to fire insurance rating to determine the flood insurance premium reductions for residents.  

In 2019, the City formed a PPI Board to gain additional points as part of the five-year CRS audit.  This was instrumental in helping the City gain enough points to improve its CRS rating from Class 7 to Class 6, resulting in an increase in the flood insurance discount for Oakland Park property owners from fifteen percent to twenty percent. Establishing a permanent board is necessary to retain the CRS points essential to maintain our Class 6 rating, which provides for the twenty percent flood insurance discount.  The 2019 PPI Board automatically sunsetted at the completion of the 5-year audit.  

The Program for Public Information (PPI) Board is tasked with providing input and recommendations for suggested outreach as part of the City's Community Rating System (CRS) flood prevention and awareness efforts.

Every five years, FEMA conducts a verification audit of Oakland Park’s flood program. During the audit, verification that the credited activities continue to be implemented by the City. Additional points are available for communities that go beyond the minimum standards. The creation of the Program for Public Information (PPI) Board will provide the City the opportunity to maintain the Class Rating established as part of the 5-year audit.  

The purpose of the PPI is to provide input and recommendations to the City Commission for suggested outreach as part of the process.

According to the CRS guidelines, the Program for Public Information Board should be comprised of both internal City staff and external stakeholders.  The Board must meet at least twice in its first year:  (1) to review the assessment and (2) to review the Program for Public Information document before sending it to the governing body.  The Committee must meet at least once annually after that.

The Committee shall consist of five members and be appointed for a two-year term as follows:

• Two members shall be either a City resident or business owner and shall be appointed by the City Commission.
• The Third member shall be a City resident or business owner with insurance industry credentials and shall be appointed by the City Commission.
• The Fourth member will be the City’s designated City Floodplain Manager
• The Fifth member will be the City’s Public Information Officer.

Not applicable.