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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: April 27, 2020 <br />TOPIC: Community Rating System (CRS) Formal Notice of Class 6 Rating <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Support Issuing a Press Release Noticing of CRS Class 6 <br />Status <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Mark Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Support issuance of a press release noticing County residents of continued reduced <br />floodplain insurance premiums. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• One of the objectives for the Flood Control Zone District was to enroll Kittitas <br />County into the Community Rating System, which would provide a discount for <br />flood insurance. <br />• Kittitas County successful enrolled in the Community Rating System in 2014, <br />earning a Class 6 rating. Most communities enter the program at a CRS Class 9 or <br />Class 8 (on a scale of 1-10 with Class 1 being the highest rating). <br />• A Class 6 rating provides a 20 percent discount on flood insurance premiums for <br />property located within special flood hazard areas and a 10 percent discount to <br />other areas. <br />• Each 5 years Kittitas County's CRS program is audited. In 2019, Public Works <br />staff demonstrated that the Flood Control Zone District is engaging in enough <br />activities to maintain the Class 6 rating. <br />• The Board was made aware of staff efforts several months ago, but the program is <br />now being formally noticed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency <br />(FEMA). <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Under the CRS, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reward community <br />actions that meet the three goals of the CRS, which are: (1) reduce flood damage to <br />insurable property; (2) strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP; and (3) <br />encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management. <br />The CRS uses a Class rating system that is similar to fire insurance rating to determine <br />flood insurance premium reductions for residents. CRS Classes are rated from 9 to 1, <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />