To all Clarksville Residents in the Flood Zone:
In 1978 the City of Clarksville joined in the National Flood Insurance Program to ensure that disaster assistance is available to our community, individuals and businesses; to make available the opportunity to obtain federally backed loans for buildings located in the floodplain and as a result of compliance with NFIP, thereby reduce flood losses and decrease federal expenditures for disaster assistance and flood control projects.
Participation in this program makes it necessary for the City of Clarksville to adopt and enforce all applicable NFIP regulations, require permits for ALL development in the floodplain, and obtain proof of compliance with our City floodplain ordinance for all new development.
“Development” includes any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including (but not limited to) buildings and other structures, filling, grading and paving activities, storage of equipment or materials, levees and levee systems.
The floodplain development permit/application is essential for any renovation or improvements made to property in the flood zone. If there is failure on the part of any individual or business located in City of Clarksville to comply with these regulations, the City can be suspended from the NFIP, which means flood insurance policies issued in the community will be nonrenewable and homeowners with federally backed loans will still be required to meet the mandatory purchase requirements. The City currently has forty-four (44) policies in force, totaling $5.3 million in coverage.
It is imperative that a permit/application be submitted and approved prior to any renovation or improvement work being done on any property covered by NFIP. The Floodplain Manager for the City Kathy Weiss, can be contacted at City Hall. She will furnish you with the necessary paperwork and the procedures that need to be followed.
The Clarksville Ordinance on Flood Hazard Prevention is available at City Hall. Please note that violation of the provisions in this ordinance or failure to comply with any and all of its requirements constitutes an ordinance violation which has fines and possible imprisonment attached. The City of Clarksville will make every effort to work with you and assist you in any way we can to insure that all provisions of the law are followed in order to safeguard the value of your property. So please remember, before any renovation or improvements are made to property in the flood plain, you need to determine what requirements are necessary in order to get a permit approved. Thank you for helping to protect all the property in our City.
The Floodplain Manager may need to visit certain structures that have been improved or renovated and have not been through the permit process. Every effort will be made to help owners complete the paperwork in order that the City of Clarksville can be in complete compliance.
There could also be an added bonus for complete NFIP compliance. If the City of Clarksville is in good standing with the NFIP, we can apply for the Community Rating System, which reduces flood insurance premiums for our citizens. There are eighteen (18) creditable community activities that fall in four (4) main categories: public information, mapping and regulations, flood damage reductions and flood preparedness. CRS is based on a ten (10) class system which could end up discounting insurance rates from 5% – 45 %! We believe that this is doable for Clarksville, once everyone is compliant.
For additional information on any of this data, please call or visit City Hall. We want our community to be informed and knowledgeable about this subject.
Jo Anne Smiley, Mayor
Kathy Weiss, Floodplain Manager
Sue Lindemann, North Ward Alderman
Randy Snell, North Ward Alderman
Joanna Brock, South Ward Alderman
Caron Quick, South Ward Alderman