Horry County officials discussed how to improve flood damage prevention during the Infrastructure and Regulation meeting on Tuesday. 

The committee reviewed changes to the county’s ordinance on flood damage prevention. According to the county’s flood hazard reduction officer, Laura Harrelson, the changes are necessary to bring the county’s ordinance in compliance with state standards. 

“It’ll substantially reduce flood risk and flood damage,” said Harrelson. 

She said the ordinance is due for an upgrade, since it was last updated in 1987. 

“There’s been a lot of changes from 1987 to now. Difference in development, climate, our watershed changes. So it’s very important to have standards that meet the analysis of the county that we have,” she said.

The new ordinance would require new homes in areas with a 1% chance of flooding or more to be built a foot higher than they are now – a total of two feet above the base flood level elevation. The ordinance would also prevent the construction of critical facilities such as hospitals or emergency buildings in areas with a 0.2% chance of flooding or greater. 

“Not only will it reduce the risk, it’ll reduce the flood insurance as well. This would give our residents a 20% deduction on their flood insurance premium,” she said.

That reduction would come by improving the county’s floodplain management rating from the National Flood Insurance Program. Another way the county plans to do that is by education and certifying planning staff to become floodplain managers. 

“We can make sure that as development comes in, it’s adequately reviewed by experts who know what they’re talking about, in regard to floodplain management, to make sure the development occurs according to national and state standards,” said David Schwerd, interim planning director. 

The ordinance would also require the county to use FEMA damage assessment software after flooding occurs. 

“That’s just to ensure that the damage assessment is done correctly and that the correct percentage damage is accurate,” said Harrelson.

The I & R committee approved the changes to the ordinance during the meeting, so the ordinance is now headed to full council for review.