FEMA laid out an action plan after the Town of Fort Myers Beach lost its previous flood insurance discount.
On July 19, 2024, Fort Myers Beach received a letter from FEMA indicating the potential of being placed on probationary status with the NFIP if certain conditions were not met.
FEMA said these conditions consisted of five action items to be completed by Nov. 18 of 2024:
- Develop and submit a plan that includes actions and timelines to address all identified program deficiencies and violations to the maximum extent possible.
- Assess all floodplain development from Hurricane Ian in the Special Flood Hazard Area, ensuring that permits for all repairs, construction and development were obtained consistent with local floodplain management regulations.
- Provide documentation that demonstrates your community is leveraging its code enforcement process to address new and existing code cases for all structures not confirmed as compliant.
- Put a process in place to ensure substantial damage compliance for future events.
- Remove noncompliant structures that were incorrectly permitted and should not have been placed in the Special Flood Hazard Area.
"We appreciate that the Town of Fort Myers Beach accomplished the first and fourth action items by submitting a plan to address deficiencies and establishing a process to ensure substantial damage compliance for future events," the release said. "However, our teams have identified additional work that needs to occur for items 2, 3 and 5."
According to FEMA, the crosswalk assessment toll that was created had not been completed by town officials which prevents both items two and three from being completed.
FEMA said for the fifth item, the town also did not remove non-compliant structures that were incorrectly permitted and "should not have been placed in the Special Flood Hazard Area."
The release stated that the town will be on probation with the National Flood Insurance Program.
During said probationary period, flood insurance coverage will remain available within the Town of Fort Myers Beach. However, a $50 surcharge will be added to the premium of each new and renewed flood insurance policy sold within the community.
Probation will remain in effect until all remaining program deficiencies and violations have been completely corrected.
The town will also be retrograded to a Class 10 in the Community Ratings System on April 1, 2025, and policy premium discounts will not be applied to new or renewing policies.
FEMA said Fort Myers Beach is not eligible to reapply to the Community Rating System for a higher-class rating until the town's probationary period has concluded, the Town is in full compliance with the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program, and at least two years has passed since the Town was placed in probationary status.
"I am committed and I’ve instructed my staff that we will continue to provide technical assistance to Fort Myers Beach to meet the required program standards and potentially end probation as soon as practicable," said FEMA Regional Administrator Robert D. Samann in the release.
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