The city of St. Petersburg permitting department has issued new guidelines for the elevation of new homes within an AE-9 flood zone, which is the flood zone that Americana Cove is located.
As of June 22, 2021, new homes placed in Americana Cove must meet the following criteria:
1. Be elevated to a Base Flood Elevation + 2 feet, which equates to approximately 10 stairs high.
2. All HVAC equipment and electrical services must be elevated to Base Flood Elevation.
3. Homes must now have a permanent foundation cast in reinforced concrete footings and reinforced masonry piers. Additional anchors and wind tie-down straps are required.
According to Broker/Dealer Marty Pozgay, the new height requirements will add approximately $20,000 to the price of a new home. What is a flood elevation certificate? To obtain flood insurance, an insurer will need a flood elevation certificate, which is an official FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association) approved document that identifies the elevation (height above sea level), the special flood hazard area, and required base flood elevation (BFE) based on the communities Flood Insurance Rate
Maps (FIRM's) in effect at the time of certification. By having this document, an insurer knows what rate to charge based on the height of the home if an owner wants flood insurance. A surveying company completes flood elevation certificates.
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