Category: Building-department - The County Insider

The County Insider

Flood Awareness Week: Day Seven

3/11/2024

3/10/24 @ 4:30 p.m. - It's Flood Awareness Week in Nassau County, Florida. Each day, we will share a tip on protecting yourself and your property from flood damage.

DAY SEVEN
Most areas in Nassau County are prone to some amount of damage from coastal flooding, including sea level rise. Learn about scientific predictions for rising sea levels in Nassau County and potential impacts on our coastal community at fema.gov/grants.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

Flood Awareness Week: Day Five

3/8/2024

It's Flood Awareness Week so every day, we will release a tip or strategy you can use to ensure you and your property are protected.

Day Five
Build responsibly, and avoid building in floodplains. Before you build, find out what the regulations are and what permits are required. Be aware of substantial improvement rules, which are there to correct structures built before current regulations and flood mapping. These apply when a structure is below a known base flood elevation plus freeboard. For more information, visit your community's flood risk website at: https://www.nassaucountyfl.com/627/Flood-Information.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

Flood Awareness Week: Day Four

3/7/2024

3/7/24 @ 4:15 p.m.

It's Flood Awareness Week so every day, we will release a tip or strategy you can use to ensure you and your property are protected.

Day Four
Protect your property from flood hazards. Insurance is your first level of protection. Other methods include installing flood vents where appropriate or raising electrical system components. For more information on how to protect your property, visit https://www.nassaucountyfl.com/627/Flood-Information.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

Flood Awareness Week: Day Two

3/5/2024

3/5/24 @ 8:30 a.m.

It's Flood Awareness Week so every day, we will release a tip or strategy you can use to ensure you and your property are protected.

Day Two:
Flood insurance is available to everyone, regardless of whether you rent, own or have a business. It is even available to you if you are not in a mapped floodplain. Flood insurance is not included in your property insurance policy. For more information, visit: https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

Flood Awarneess Week: Day One

3/4/2024

3/4/24 @ 2:15 p.m.

It's Flood Awareness Week so every day, we will release a tip or strategy you can use to ensure you and your property are protected.

DAY ONE
Did you know that most areas in Florida are potentially prone to some amount of flooding from excessive rainfall or tidal influences? Property owners need to know their flood risk. Go to your community's flood risk website to find yours.
To access the Flood Awareness Week documents please visit FLfloods.org/FAW.

-Sabrina robertson
Public Information Officer

Local Mitigation Strategy Annual Progress Report

5/12/2023

5/12/23 @ 10:00 a.m. -

As a voluntary participant in FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS), residents in the unincorporated areas of the County enjoy a reduction in the cost of their flood insurance policy premium. This is accomplished through the County's efforts to undertake floodplain activities that exceed minimum FEMA/NFIP floodplain standards such as retrofit of facilities, drainage improvements, public outreach events, and community messaging that earn the County "credits" to improve its CRS ranking

Participation in the CRS program also provides credit to the county for submitting the five-year Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) and its annual update. The LMS is produced by the Nassau County Emergency Operations Center and is required by the Florida Division of Emergency Management for the purpose of assessing potential hazards that threaten the County and identifying cost-effective actions that will reduce or eliminate the impacts of these hazards. Mitigation proposals are prioritized and the entities responsible for implementing the action are identified, as are sources of potential funding.

Presented here today, is the required publication of the Annual Progress Report of Nassau County’s Local Mitigation Strategy for CRS credit which outlines the progress toward completing the County’s various flood-related mitigation strategies.

If you have any questions, please reach out to CRS Coordinator, Naomi Braff, at (904) 530-6250 or via email at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

National Government Month - Day 25: Building Permits

4/25/2023

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has proclaimed April as National County Government Month. Each day this month, we will provide different facts about Nassau County, including information about its history, services provided and more.

Building Permits
Did you know that when you file for a building permit, you can follow its progress online through our permitting system? From the date your permit is submitted to the date it is issued, you can see each time it is routed to a new division for review, as well as any staff comments that are received during the review process. Having the ability to track permits often relieves anxiety and reduces concerns because the applicant can stay informed throughout the process.

Next time you request a permit, visit our MUNIS Self-Service website. You will need to create an account first but once that is done, all you need is a permit # or address to search and view the status of your permit.

If you have any questions, please contact the Building Department at (9040 530-6250.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

National Government Month - Day 11: Unsafe Abatement Ordinance

4/11/2023

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has proclaimed April as National County Government Month. Each day this month, we will provide different facts about Nassau County, including information about its history, services provided and more.

Did you know that the County has an Ordinance in place that established minimum standards as to the maintenance of buildings and structures? The Ordinance was originally adopted in 2000 however it was amended in 2019 to provide for a nuisance declaration of buildings or structures in violation of the Ordinance. It also provides a mechanism for the County to repair or demolish buildings or structures that have been declared a nuisance when the property owner fails to comply and allows the County to place a lien on the property to recover associated expenses if/when the property is sold.

Unsafe structures are not only an eyesore, they are a threat to the health and safety of the community. These types of structures attract insects and rodents which spread disease. The structures also have a risk of collapsing.

Since the Ordinance No. 2019-15 went into effect in 2019, approximately 80 unsafe structures have been removed within the County limits. This would not have been possible without the hard work of our Building Official, Building Inspectors, and our Code Enforcement Officers. Thanks to their efforts, many neighborhoods in our community are now free of the unsightly and unhealthy structures that once burdened them.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

National Government Month - Day 9: CRS Ratings

4/9/2023

4/9/23 @ 2:45 p.m. -The National Association of Counties (NACo) has proclaimed April as National County Government Month. Each day this month, we will provide different facts about Nassau County, including information about its history, services provided and more.

Did you know that the Board of County Commissioners are voluntary participants in FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS) program? CRS is an incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Nassau County joined the program in May 2017 and since that time has worked hard to improve its rating to allow for a reduction in flood insurance premiums for property owners within the unincorporated areas of the County.

Flood insurance premiums are set nationally based on the age of structure, building materials and level of risk. However, communities that volunteer to adopt and enforce stricter ordinances, known as “Higher Standards,” to reduce flood risk can enroll in the CRS Program to earn insurance premium discounts for their residents.

In order to maintain and/or improve CRS Ratings, the County earns “credits” for its efforts in providing information to the public, maintaining current flood maps, improving flood regulations to reduce the possibility of flood damage, and ensuring flood preparedness. Based on total credits earned, communities are assigned a CRS Classification which determines the percentage of discounts given to property owners.

Thanks to our floodplain experts in the County's Building and Development Services Departments, the County recently increased its rating from a Class 8 to a Class 7 CRS Rating. This rating allows property owners in the unincorporated area to benefit from a 15% premium reduction on flood insurance policies with an overall cost savings of $232,000. The Board is excited about this progress and will continue to work hard so that residents can benefit from future savings as well.

For information on the CRS Program, visit FEMA’s website at: https://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management/community-rating-system.

Flood Awareness Week: Day 7 - Sea Level Rise

3/12/2023

It's Flood Awareness Week in Nassau County, Florida. Each day, we will share a tip on protecting yourself and your property from flood damage.

DAY SEVEN:SEA LEVEL RISE

Many areas in Nassau County are prone to some amount of damage from coastal flooding, including sea level rise. Learn about scientific predictions for rising sea levels in Nassau County and potential impacts on our coastal community at fema.gov/grants.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer