|
FLOOD
WARNING SYSTEM
The City of Miami provides
several services to help residents and business owners with information
about flood hazards.
The National Weather Service,
along with the City of Miami Fire Department, Emergency Management Section,
provides flood warning information to city residents. The following local
radio and television stations will provide information as part of the
Emergency Broadcasting System:
AM RADIO
TELEVISION
WIOD
-610 WTVJ - Ch 4
WQBA-1140 WCIX - Ch 6
WINZ-
940 WSVN - Ch 7
WAQI-710 WLTV - Ch 23
Police
Department............(305)579-6640
Fire
Department...............(305)416-1600
Building Department…...(305)
416-1100
DERM(Dept. Of Env. Resource
Management)...(305)372-6789
So. Florida Water
Management...................(305) 377-7274
FEMA (Federal Emergency
Management Agency......(770) 220-5200
FLOOD HAZARD
The coastal areas, the Miami
River, and the many canals in the City of Miami make properties located near
these areas prone to flooding.
The Building Department, at
444 S.W. 2nd Avenue (416-1111), can assist you concerning information about
Special Flood hazard areas.
FLOOD INFORMATION
The Building Department can
inform you if your property is in a floodplain area. The department
maintains elevation certificates for properties that have been substantially
improved or constructed in the City of Miami since December 1992. We are
also available to perform site visits to inform you if you are in a flood
zone area, and provide information. The Plumbing Plans Examiner has the
information available at 444 S.W. 2nd Avenue, 4th
Floor, telephone number (305) 416-1111.
For a twenty-five dollar
($25.00) fee, the City can provide you with the following information, in
writing:
1.
Community Number.
2. Panel
Number and Suffix.
3. Date of
the FIRM’s index.
4. FIRM
zone.
5. Base
flood elevation.
6. Elevation
data used on the FIRM.
FLOOD
SAFETY
It takes only six (6) inches
of moving water to knock a person down causing injury and possibly death.
In order to protect your property and human lives, the following steps
should be taken:
1.
Have an
evacuation plan. Have two weeks worth of medication, food and water.
2.
The elderly,
disabled or persons with special needs should register with Metro-Dade
County’s Division of Emergency Management.
3. Trees
should be trimmed regularly, prior to a hurricane in preparation for
possible flooding.
4.
Doors,
windows or any building openings should be secured.
5. Driving
through flooded areas should be avoided; power lines may be down.
6.
Be alert to
gas leaks. Candles and any other type of open flames should be carefully
monitored.
FLOOD
INSURANCE
Homeowner insurance does not cover flood damage; a
flood insurance policy is required. The following steps should be taken in
regards to flood insurance:
1. Check
your policy to make sure that your property and personal possessions are
covered under the policy.
2.
Photograph and list your possessions for claim purposes; store the
information with your policy in a safe place.
DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE
Canals and channels in our
community provide an invaluable drainage feature to help carry potential
floodwaters away. Grass clippings and branches can accumulate and plug
channels. A plugged channel contributes to flooding in surrounding areas.
Do not dump or throw anything into the bay, rivers, canals or any other body
of water that helps our drainage system. Dumping is a violation of City and
County Codes, punishable by fines of up to $500 per day. Illegal dumping
can be reported to the City of Miami Public Works Department, responsible
for the maintenance of our waterways, or to any City NET Offices.
PERMIT
REQUIREMENTS/ PROTECTION MEASURES
Before you build, alter,
re-grade or put fill on your property, you need to check with the Building
Department. Permits are required to ensure that all of the work is properly
done and to avoid further problems. Failure to obtain permits can result in
an unsafe building, a fine and possible court action.
While recent improvements in
construction practices and regulations have made new homes less prone to
flood damage, there are a significant number of existing homes that are
susceptible to flood losses. These losses can be minimized through some of
the temporary and permanent retrofitting techniques: 1) Construction of
small flood walls, 2) Water proofing of your walls and water tightening
closures of doorways, 3) Raising your property above the flood level.
Information on these techniques can be obtained from the Building
Department.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE/IMPROVEMENT 50% RULE
The following definitions
should assist you in determining if you fall under the 50% rule:
Substantial Damage:
Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring
the structure to its before damaged condition would equal or exceed fifty
(50) percent of the market value of the structure before the damage
occurred.
Substantial Improvement:
Any repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or improvement of a structure,
the cost of which equals or exceeds, over a two-year period, a cumulative
total of fifty (50) percent of the market value of the structure. However,
the accumulation period of a substantial improvement within any coastal
building zone, as defined in Section 161.54(12), Florida Statutes, shall be
five (5) years. The market value of the structure shall be (1) the assessed
value of the structure prior to the start of the initial or improvement, or
(2) in the case of damage occurring. In cases where the permit applicant
questions the assessed value of a structure, an adjustment may be made.
However, the burden of proof is upon the applicant who may submit an
independent appraisal by a qualified appraiser in support thereof.
BLDG/REV/9/03
|
Home 
City Directory 