CORTEZ — Manatee County inspectors will conduct individual damage assessments of properties in the Cortez zip code, including mobile home parks, beginning Friday, Oct. 25, and continuing through Sunday, Oct. 27.
The inspections were announced at an Oct. 24 town hall meeting at Sara Bay RV Park by Manatee County Floodplain Management Coordinator Cheryl Bagby.
In addition to Bagby, who outlined FEMA and county guidelines for storm-related damage to mobile homes, Manatee County Building Official Bill Palmer, Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, and Director of Development Services Nicole Knapp answered residents’ questions.
One resident asked, “Are you going to do an inspection of each individual mobile home in the park and record the damage each unit has?”
“We do have a substantial damage assessment team that will be out in this zip code, starting tomorrow over the next few days,” Bagby said. “They are going around and they have a checklist. They are looking at your foundation, they look at your electrical, they look at different components and just basically collect data on how much everything is damaged. We do have teams out over the next few days doing that.”
If no one is at the residence, inspectors will leave a door hanger with contact information, she said.
She said the damage assessment teams will not assess the value of the damage or the structure.
One resident asked the panel to address rumors that the county has condemned both Cortez Park and Sunny Shores.
“This is not Bradenton Beach, this is Manatee County,” Van Ostenbridge said.
Two mobile home parks in Bradenton Beach, The Pines and Sandpiper Resort Co-Op, were recently deemed uninhabitable based on FEMA guidelines for substantial flood damage, triggering a city ordinance requiring 10-12 foot elevation.
“We have not condemned anyone, correct?” Van Ostenbridge asked.
“That is correct, we have not condemned anyone. Every structure in the park will be individually assessed,” Palmer said. “It will be assessed for either substantial improvement or if it’s an unsafe structure, but as far as condemnation, no, we’re not going in and just across the park, that’s not going to happen.”
Mobile home parks in Cortez are Sunny Shores, Cortez Park Co-Op, Sara Bay RV Park and Paradise Bay Estates.
FEMA 50/50 rule and county guidelines
Bagby outlined FEMA and county guidelines for storm-related damage to mobile homes.
“There is a federal regulation of substantial improvement and substantial damage, it is commonly known as the FEMA 50/50 rule,” Bagby said. “If there is damage or improvements that exceed 50% of the value of your structure, the entire thing has to be brought up to current flood plain compliance, which for most of the older mobile homes means elevating.”
She said FEMA options would be either to elevate or replace.
“The replacement would also be elevated as well. So, we’re not saying that you can’t build back, you can, but if you exceed the 50% you have to build back compliant with the regulations,” Bagby said. “On top of that, Manatee County also has a one-year cumulative so if you’ve done any work on your mobile home in the last year, that can count toward your 50% already.”
She said that damaged components such as drywall and insulation can be removed.
“But before you put it back you need to check with us,” she said. “The important thing is don’t build back before you check with us. I would hate for anyone to start putting money into a repair only to find out you now have to elevate your structure.”
One resident asked, “If you are repairing damage and you are repairing it for less than 50% are you still required to elevate, or is that only for someone who’s 50% or more?”
“The requirement is if it is 50% or more you have to elevate. If you’re under that 50% threshold – and this is why it’s so important – the community gets audited by FEMA. We have to have records of your billbacks. If you’re under your 50%, please follow up with us because we have to have records,” Bagby said. “If it’s under 50% we have to prove that to FEMA when we get audited. You do not have to elevate if you’re under 50% but it’s recommended.”
She said FEMA has a base flood elevation requirement ranging from 8-10 feet. The state of Florida and Manatee County require it to be one foot higher than that.
“Unfortunately, based on your location, you’re very low-lying,” Bagby said.
She said the value of an individual structure can be found on the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s website, www.manateepao.gov
“Go to property card, on the second page. It’ll have two columns and it’ll say development value. That is the value we use to assess the value of your structure. We do add an additional 15% to that value,” Bagby said. “If you exceed 50% you have to bring the entire structure up to current regulations.”
Land is not included in the assessment of value.
“Whatever the structure value is, and we do take private appraisals. It should be reproduction minus deterioration and it must be the pre-damage condition,” Bagby said.
