Coastal South Carolina Community Ratings (CRS) Users Group

Building community resilience to coastal hazards is a top priority for DHEC OCRM. In addition to disaster resilience, stakeholder communities are becoming more aware of chronic hazards that are exacerbated by relative sea level rise, such as nuisance flooding and coastal erosion. Through the Local Comprehensive Beach Management Plan (LCBMP) process, DHEC OCRM works with coastal counties and municipalities to develop and update plans that address a range of beachfront management issues, including the mitigation of coastal erosion and flood hazards that impact public infrastructure and private property.

In recent years, coastal communities have expressed a significant interest in the National Flood Insurance Program 's (NFIP) Community Ratings System (CRS). The CRS Program is a voluntary program that rewards communities that take a proactive approach to flood mitigation beyond minimum standards. Communities may garner points through a graduated scoring system that recognizes efforts to reduce flood damage to insurable property and encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management. Point accrual results in a reduction of flood insurance premiums among policy holders.

In response to these community needs, DHEC OCRM is now working to align the LCBMP process with elements of the NFIP's CRS program. By establishing the Coastal South Carolina CRS Users Group, DHEC OCRM is providing a forum for coastal communities to share lessons learned, identify best practices and gain efficiencies in planning processes that result in hazard mitigation and realized cost savings.

For more information and to join the Users Group, please contact:

Adam Bode
DHEC OCRM Coastal Planner
(843) 953-0258

Coastal South Carolina CRS User Group Meetings

Coastal South Carolina CRS User Group meetings are generally directed toward beachfront community administrators, planning staff and floodplain managers who are involved in the LCBMP planning effort. However, we welcome participation among all coastal communities in addition to private and academic sectors interested in learning about the NFIP, CRS, and floodplain management.

Meeting Archive

August 16, 2017

Activity 420, Open Space Preservation (OSP) Meeting 

  1. Agenda
  2. Amec Foster Wheeler's Presentation 2 on Open Space Incentives (OSI), Low Density Zoning (LZ), Natural Shoreline Protection (NSP)
  3. Opportunities to develop The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Community Ratings System (CRS) Explorer App in Coastal South South Carolina (User Group Discussion)
  4. CRS Webinar Series (Atkins Global): Activity 610: Flood Warning and Response

May 18, 2017

Activity 420, Open Space Preservation (OSP) Meeting

  1. Agenda
  2. Amec Foster Wheeler's Presentation on Open Space Preservation (OSP) and Natural Floodplain Functions (NFOS) Credit - Handouts
  3. The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Presentation on TNC's Conserved Lands System Database in South Carolina (CLSD-SC) - Handouts
  4. The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Presentation on TNC's Community Ratings System Explorer - Handouts
  5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Presentation on "How to Map Open Space Preservation (OSP) for CRS Credits and the GIS Workflow - Handouts
  6. Charleston County's Presentation on Local Lessons Learned Applying for OSP Credit

February 27, 2017

Kick Off

  1. Coastal South Carolina Community Ratings (CRS) Users Group Kickoff Meeting Agenda
  2. DHEC Section 309 CRS Users Group Presentation, Dan Burger and Will Salters
  3. ISO Presentation, Mandy Todd
  4. Atkins Global Webinar, David Stroud
  5. Handout - CRS Crosswalk 2007 - 2013 Manual
  6. Handout - List of 2017 CRS Manual Changes
  7. Handout - Master List of 2017 CRS Manual Activities

Resources