An emergency executive order signed Thursday by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg allows property owners with buildings damaged by Hurricane Sandy in newly designated federal flood zones to rebuild higher without violating existing building codes.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency released updated flood maps this week that showed more parts of coastal New York are vulnerable to severe flooding. The agency included recommended minimal elevations that buildings should now meet in order to minimize damage.
The city also said that new buildings or buildings with significant damage in high-risk areas must be built at least one foot higher than the building code’s current flood elevation, as an extra safety buffer. Such measures, the city said, could ward off future damage and possibly ease anticipated increases in flood insurance.
Source: New York Times
