FLOODPLAIN MANAGER ACTUAL SET QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔During the second inspection, you find that the builder wants to build the lowest floor
three feet below the BFE in order to save on construction costs. What repercussions
would the owner face if the community issued a certificate of occupancy for the building
and did not pursue any enforcement action? - ✔✔Even though the certificate of
occupancy says the owner had a "legal" building, the flood insurance rates would be
based on the elevation of the lowest floor. The annual insurance premium would be very
high. A few years of such premiums would likely be more expensive than the extra cost
of meeting the ordinance's elevation requirement.
✔✔If the third inspection reveals that the builder of an apartment house has made a
change to the structure that results in a major violation of your floodplain regulations,
what can you do? - ✔✔Withhold the certificate of occupancy. (This assumes that you
have an ordinance that states that utilities cannot be turned on and/or apartments
cannot be rented until the certificate is issued)
✔✔How can Section 1316 help a local permit official faced with a sub-divider who
refuses to build houses in compliance with the floodplain regulations? - ✔✔It authorizes
FEMA to deny flood insurance to a property declared in violation of the community's
ordinance. Among other things, this will prevent the property from receiving any federal
grants and loans and may limit the property from receiving any federal grants and loans
and may limit mortgages from federally regulated or insured lending institutions.
✔✔Can a community grant a variance to allow a project in the floodway that will cause a
½ foot increase in flood heights? - ✔✔No. "Variances shall not be issued by a
community within any designated regulatory floodway if any increase in flood levels
during the base flood discharge would result..." (44 CFR 60.6(a)1)
✔✔Name two situations where special exceptions may be granted for a variance. -
✔✔1. Historic buildings
2. Functionally dependent uses
,✔✔Permit records should be kept systematically. Your system should be keyed so you
can retrieve permit files by: - ✔✔Geographical identifier, such as street address
✔✔What are the advantages of using the FEMA Elevation Certificate as a record of a
building's lowest floor elevation? - ✔✔1. It includes all the data needed for NFIP
compliance
2. It meets the requirements of the Community Rating System
It is needed by insurance agents to write a policy
✔✔Can a surveyor sign a Floodproofing Certificate? - ✔✔No, it must be signed by a
registered professional engineer.
✔✔What is needed to support a No-rise certification? - ✔✔1. The engineering or no-rise
certification must be supported by technical data and signed by a registered
professional engineer.
2. The supporting technical data should be based on the standard step-backwater
computer model used to develop the 100-year floodway shown on your FIRM or Flood
Boundary and Floodway Map and the results tabulated in your Flood Insurance Study.
✔✔What is the basic rule on improvements and repairs to existing buildings in the
floodplain? - ✔✔If the cost of improvements or the cost to repair the damage exceeds
50% of the market value of the building, it must be brought up to current floodplain
management standards.
✔✔Mrs. Murphy got a permit two months ago to remodel her living room and kitchen.
Now she wants a permit to remodel three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Should you
check each of these separately to determine if each project is a substantial
improvement? - ✔✔No. They should be counted as one project and their total cost
combined.
✔✔What is the substantial improvement formula?
Which of the following items must be included when calculating the cost of an
improvement project?
· Attached deck
· Plumbing
· Permit fees
· Contractor's overhead and profit
· Architect's plans
· Landscaping
· Built-in bookcases - ✔✔A project is a substantial improvement if:
Cost of improvement project > 50%
Market value of the building
Which of the following items must be included when calculating the cost of an
improvement project?
, · Attached deck yes
· Plumbing yes
· Permit fees no
· Contractor's overhead and profit yes
· Architect's plans no
· Landscaping no
· Built-in bookcases yes
✔✔What factors are considered when determining market value? - ✔✔"The price a
willing buyer and seller agree upon" Factors to consider are the building's original
quality, subsequent improvements, age, and current condition.
✔✔What are three good sources for obtaining the market value of a house? - ✔✔1. An
independent appraisal by a professional appraiser.
2. Detailed estimates of the structure's actual cash value (the replacement cost for a
building, minus a depreciation percentage based on age and condition).
3. Property appraisals used for tax assessment purposes with an adjustment
recommended by the tax appraiser to reflect market conditions (adjusted assessed
value).
4. The value of buildings taken from NFIP claims data (usually actual cash value)
5. Qualified estimates based on sound professional judgment made by the staff of the
local building department or tax assessor's office.
✔✔Mr. Jones proposes a $50,000 addition to his $80,000 home in the floodplain. Is this
a substantial improvement? - ✔✔Yes, 50000 divided by 80000 = 0.625, more than 50%
✔✔If Mr. Jones' project will be a substantial improvement, what do you need to check to
see if the whole house must be elevated or just the addition? - ✔✔Check the extent of
work on the common wall and the existing building. If the common wall is demolished as
part of the project, the existing building and the addition must be elevated.
✔✔What is the formula for determining substantial damage?
A building was substantially damaged if: - ✔✔Cost to repair > 50%
Market value of the building
✔✔What is the basic rule on calculating the cost of the damage? - ✔✔Substantial
damage is determined regardless of the actual cost to the owner. You must figure the
true cost of bringing the building back to its pre-damage condition using qualified labor
and materials obtained at market prices.
✔✔A tornado swept through town and substantially damaged 25 buildings in the
floodplain. How can you help the property owners comply with the floodplain ordinance's
substantial damage regulations? - ✔✔Help the owner obtain financial assistance. Many
programs are available after a disaster declaration.
AND ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔During the second inspection, you find that the builder wants to build the lowest floor
three feet below the BFE in order to save on construction costs. What repercussions
would the owner face if the community issued a certificate of occupancy for the building
and did not pursue any enforcement action? - ✔✔Even though the certificate of
occupancy says the owner had a "legal" building, the flood insurance rates would be
based on the elevation of the lowest floor. The annual insurance premium would be very
high. A few years of such premiums would likely be more expensive than the extra cost
of meeting the ordinance's elevation requirement.
✔✔If the third inspection reveals that the builder of an apartment house has made a
change to the structure that results in a major violation of your floodplain regulations,
what can you do? - ✔✔Withhold the certificate of occupancy. (This assumes that you
have an ordinance that states that utilities cannot be turned on and/or apartments
cannot be rented until the certificate is issued)
✔✔How can Section 1316 help a local permit official faced with a sub-divider who
refuses to build houses in compliance with the floodplain regulations? - ✔✔It authorizes
FEMA to deny flood insurance to a property declared in violation of the community's
ordinance. Among other things, this will prevent the property from receiving any federal
grants and loans and may limit the property from receiving any federal grants and loans
and may limit mortgages from federally regulated or insured lending institutions.
✔✔Can a community grant a variance to allow a project in the floodway that will cause a
½ foot increase in flood heights? - ✔✔No. "Variances shall not be issued by a
community within any designated regulatory floodway if any increase in flood levels
during the base flood discharge would result..." (44 CFR 60.6(a)1)
✔✔Name two situations where special exceptions may be granted for a variance. -
✔✔1. Historic buildings
2. Functionally dependent uses
,✔✔Permit records should be kept systematically. Your system should be keyed so you
can retrieve permit files by: - ✔✔Geographical identifier, such as street address
✔✔What are the advantages of using the FEMA Elevation Certificate as a record of a
building's lowest floor elevation? - ✔✔1. It includes all the data needed for NFIP
compliance
2. It meets the requirements of the Community Rating System
It is needed by insurance agents to write a policy
✔✔Can a surveyor sign a Floodproofing Certificate? - ✔✔No, it must be signed by a
registered professional engineer.
✔✔What is needed to support a No-rise certification? - ✔✔1. The engineering or no-rise
certification must be supported by technical data and signed by a registered
professional engineer.
2. The supporting technical data should be based on the standard step-backwater
computer model used to develop the 100-year floodway shown on your FIRM or Flood
Boundary and Floodway Map and the results tabulated in your Flood Insurance Study.
✔✔What is the basic rule on improvements and repairs to existing buildings in the
floodplain? - ✔✔If the cost of improvements or the cost to repair the damage exceeds
50% of the market value of the building, it must be brought up to current floodplain
management standards.
✔✔Mrs. Murphy got a permit two months ago to remodel her living room and kitchen.
Now she wants a permit to remodel three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Should you
check each of these separately to determine if each project is a substantial
improvement? - ✔✔No. They should be counted as one project and their total cost
combined.
✔✔What is the substantial improvement formula?
Which of the following items must be included when calculating the cost of an
improvement project?
· Attached deck
· Plumbing
· Permit fees
· Contractor's overhead and profit
· Architect's plans
· Landscaping
· Built-in bookcases - ✔✔A project is a substantial improvement if:
Cost of improvement project > 50%
Market value of the building
Which of the following items must be included when calculating the cost of an
improvement project?
, · Attached deck yes
· Plumbing yes
· Permit fees no
· Contractor's overhead and profit yes
· Architect's plans no
· Landscaping no
· Built-in bookcases yes
✔✔What factors are considered when determining market value? - ✔✔"The price a
willing buyer and seller agree upon" Factors to consider are the building's original
quality, subsequent improvements, age, and current condition.
✔✔What are three good sources for obtaining the market value of a house? - ✔✔1. An
independent appraisal by a professional appraiser.
2. Detailed estimates of the structure's actual cash value (the replacement cost for a
building, minus a depreciation percentage based on age and condition).
3. Property appraisals used for tax assessment purposes with an adjustment
recommended by the tax appraiser to reflect market conditions (adjusted assessed
value).
4. The value of buildings taken from NFIP claims data (usually actual cash value)
5. Qualified estimates based on sound professional judgment made by the staff of the
local building department or tax assessor's office.
✔✔Mr. Jones proposes a $50,000 addition to his $80,000 home in the floodplain. Is this
a substantial improvement? - ✔✔Yes, 50000 divided by 80000 = 0.625, more than 50%
✔✔If Mr. Jones' project will be a substantial improvement, what do you need to check to
see if the whole house must be elevated or just the addition? - ✔✔Check the extent of
work on the common wall and the existing building. If the common wall is demolished as
part of the project, the existing building and the addition must be elevated.
✔✔What is the formula for determining substantial damage?
A building was substantially damaged if: - ✔✔Cost to repair > 50%
Market value of the building
✔✔What is the basic rule on calculating the cost of the damage? - ✔✔Substantial
damage is determined regardless of the actual cost to the owner. You must figure the
true cost of bringing the building back to its pre-damage condition using qualified labor
and materials obtained at market prices.
✔✔A tornado swept through town and substantially damaged 25 buildings in the
floodplain. How can you help the property owners comply with the floodplain ordinance's
substantial damage regulations? - ✔✔Help the owner obtain financial assistance. Many
programs are available after a disaster declaration.
