The City of Cape Coral maintains a Class 5 rating under the National Flood Insurance Policy and is not subject to probation.
Lee County also maintains its ranking.
“This means Cape Coral residents and businesses will continue to receive a 25% discount on their NFIP flood insurance policies and continue to have access to FEMA assistance in the event of a disaster,” city officials said in a release.
“We are proud to announce that the City of Cape Coral has maintained its Class 5 rating and guaranteed residents and businesses a 25% discount on flood insurance,” Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter said in a prepared statement. said. “This achievement highlights our city’s resilience and continued commitment to protecting our community while preparing for future challenges.”
FEMA’s initial review, which began in March 2024, highlighted concerns related to the city’s floodplain management. To address these concerns, the City of Cape Coral submitted the National Flood Insurance Program Corrective Action Plan to FEMA on September 16, 2024. The plan outlined “strong measures to address past problems and additional efforts to strengthen the region’s flood resilience.”
The main components of the plan include:
n Addressing program defects and critical violations: Ensure compliance with NFIP standards.
n Assessing floodplain development since Hurricane Ian: Conduct a thorough review to identify and remediate potential issues.
n Leverage Code Enforcement: Strengthen enforcement of floodplain regulations.
n Implementation of the Significant Damages Administrative Procedure Plan: Launched on November 18, 2024, this plan provides a systematic approach to assessing significant damages.
n Strengthening community flood resilience: Highlight proactive efforts to address climate change and stormwater challenges, including research, grants, and legislative advocacy.
“FEMA’s decision eliminates the threat of insurance premium increases for residents and businesses and demonstrates city staff’s dedication to our residents. Through the hard work of our staff, we are able to provide a We were able to maintain insurance discounts, ensure FEMA compliance, and ease the financial burden on our residents,” said City Manager Michael Irsishin. “We have also begun assisting other cities recently impacted by storms, sharing our experience to help them achieve FEMA compliance and strengthen their own resilience. This is our guideline.”
“The City’s comprehensive response demonstrates the City of Cape Coral’s dedication to reducing flood risk, strengthening stormwater management, and increasing overall disaster preparedness. “We have established ourselves as a model for resilience and sustainability in the face of evolving climate challenges,” the release states.
“These actions demonstrate our proactive approach to protecting Cape Coral residents and increasing resilience from flooding,” said Ryan Lamb, Director of Emergency Management and Resilience. said. “By addressing FEMA’s concerns, we strengthened our ability to protect our communities from future disasters while preserving critical benefits.”
For more information about floodplain management and flood insurance in Cape Coral, visit www.capecoral.gov/floodprevention.
