Fall Newsletter
13
What You Need to Know to Protect Your Property From Flooding
The Town of Ocean City is reminding property owners to
understand your vulnerability to flooding and take the proper steps
in advance to protect your family and your home. Located on a
barrier island, many Ocean City properties are at risk from coastal
flooding, storm surge, and high winds. The Town of Ocean City is
concerned about repetitive flooding and has an active and ongoing
program to help you protect properties from future flooding.
Here are some things you can do:
(Building Department) at City Hall for our Map
of past flooding in your area, the causes of repetitive flooding,
how the City manages it, and what would be an appropriate flood
protection alternatives, and provide information regarding flood risk
zones, base flood elevation, approximate flood depth and copies of
elevation certificates on file.
•
a flood comes.
• Make a list of emergency numbers and identify a safe place to
go.
• Make a household inventory, especially of ground level contents.
•
place.
• Collect and put cleaning supplies, camera, waterproof boots,
etc., in a handy place.
• Develop a disaster response plan. See the Red Cross’s website
at www.redcross.org for information about preparing your home
and family for a disaster.
• Get a copy of Repairing Your Flooded Home. We have copies
at the Building Department or it can be found on the Red
Cross’ website, too.
• Consider elevating your house above flood levels.
• Check your building for water entry points, such as first floor
windows and doors, the crawlspace, and dryer vents. These may
be protected with low walls or grading for positive drainage away
from the structure, however do not block or obstruct required
foundation flood vents.
• Mark your fuse or breaker box to show the circuits to the
a flood can reduce property damage and save lives.
• More information can be found at FEMA’s website, www.ready.
gov/floods.
• Note that some flood protection measures may need a building
permit and others may not be safe for your type of building, so be
sure to talk to the Building Department first.
• If you are interested in elevating your building above the flood
•
flood and, in some cases, it will help pay the costs of elevating a
substantially damaged building.
• Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage from
floods. Since our community participates in the National
insurance policy. This insurance is backed by the Federal
government and is available to everyone, even properties
that have been flooded. Our community participation in the
Community Rating System may also qualify your property for a
reduction in the insurance premium.
• If your area is no longer mapped as a Special Flood Hazard Area
• Some people have purchased flood insurance because it
was required by the bank when they got a mortgage or home
improvement loan. Usually these policies just cover the building’s
structure and not the contents. During the kind of flooding
that happens in Ocean City, there may also be damage to the
furniture and contents. Be sure you have contents coverage.
• Don’t wait for the next flood to buy insurance protection. In most
• Contact your insurance agent for more information on rates and
coverage.
If you rent your property to
anyone at any time, the law requires you to obtain an Ocean
City Rental License and an Ocean City noise control permit
(www.oceancitymd.gov/rentallicense). The purpose of these
residential districts and assure compliance with the laws,
ordinances and regulations applicable to rental housing
units within the corporate limits of Ocean City. Further, it is
to ensure safe, healthy and habitable housing conditions in
rental housing units to prevent deterioration of rental housing
units and encourage responsible management, maintenance
and use of rental housing by the inspection and licensing of
the units.
°
as low density single family residential development.
is you cannot rent to more than 4 unrelated people.
. For more information, or
visit: www.oceancitymd.gov/rentallicense .
/www.redcross.org
/floods
/rentallicense)
/rentallicense
/floods