StormSmart Communities helps local officials prepare for and protect their communities from coastal storms and flooding—both now and under higher sea levels. For details on the origins of the program, which was originally called StormSmart Coasts, see About StormSmart Communities.
For all of the CZM resources available to help coastal communities manage erosion and flooding, see StormSmart Coasts home.
Links to the following StormSmart Communities information are provided on this web page: Publications, Pilot Projects, and Other Frequently Requested Information.
Other StormSmart Communities web pages include:
Publications
As part of StormSmart Communities, CZM has produced the following coastal floodplain management publications:
- StormSmart Coasts: Who to Contact and What to Do Before Building or Rebuilding - This 2014 fact sheet for property owners gives information on the permitting process for building and rebuilding projects on the Massachusetts coast, including all new buildings, repair of storm-damaged properties, additions, septic systems, seawalls, decks, and a variety of others. It provides information for coastal property owners on applicable regulations and agency contacts, an overview of the most common permits needed, and recommendations for StormSmart building techniques to better protect coastal property.
- Interpreting Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Maps and Studies in the Coastal Zone - Updated in 2017, this publication developed by CZM in cooperation with the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Flood Hazard Management Program, provides guidance on how to use Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Maps and Studies to better understand the potential effects of flooding on buildings, properties, and the underlying natural resource areas. This information can be used by homeowners and consultants to ensure that the safest possible coastal projects are designed, as well as by public officials to successfully evaluate projects to ensure they are designed to minimize storm damage, protect public safety, and reduce the financial burden on individuals and municipalities from losses due to coastal storms.
- Applying the Massachusetts Coastal Wetlands Regulations - Published by CZM and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) in August 2017, this guidance document was developed to help Conservation Commissions evaluate projects proposed in coastal resource areas for their potential to impact the storm damage prevention and flood control interests of the Wetlands Protection Act. It gives Commissions tools, data, and information to delineate the coastal resource areas, determine resource area functions, assess potential project impacts, and evaluate whether the project meets or can be conditioned to meet the performance standards and includes step-by-step instructions, checklists, and example scenarios.
- StormSmart Coasts Fact Sheet 1: Introduction to No Adverse Impact (NAI) Land Management in the Coastal Zone (PDF, 2 MB) - Describes the No Adverse Impact (NAI) approach to coastal land management, which is based on a set of "do no harm" principles that communities can use when planning, designing, and evaluating public and private projects.
- StormSmart Coasts Fact Sheet 2: No Adverse Impact and the Legal Framework of Coastal Management (PDF, 873 KB) - Discusses how the NAI approach can help communities protect people and property while reducing legal challenges to floodplain management practices.
- StormSmart Coasts Fact Sheet 3: Case Study - A Cape Cod Community Prevents New Residences in Floodplains (PDF, 1 MB) - Summarizes Chatham’s zoning bylaw that designates “conservancy districts” in the coastal floodplain and specifies prohibited uses (such as construction of residences), permitted uses (such as installation of utilities), and special uses requiring permits (such as construction of piers). Please note: The town has since amended their zoning bylaw, see Chatham’s Protective Zoning Bylaw (PDF, 2 MB) for changes to their conservancy and floodplain district.
- StormSmart Coasts Fact Sheet 4: Case Study - Massachusetts Communities Reduce Storm Risk in Developed Areas (PDF, 1 MB) - Summarizes Quincy’s efforts to use Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant money to help property owners elevate either utilities or homes above flood elevations and describes Scituate’s program that uses FEMA funding to help homeowners pay part of the costs of building elevation projects.
- StormSmart Coasts Fact Sheet 5: Raise Your Home, Lower Your Monthly Payments: Protect Buildings and Reduce Monthly Expenses with Freeboard (PDF, 753 KB) - Discusses the safety and financial benefits of freeboard, which is elevating a building above predicted flood elevations.
- StormSmart Coasts Fact Sheet 6: Landscaping to Protect Your Coastal Property from Storm Damage and Flooding (PDF, 961 KB) - Describes landscaping techniques that stabilize coastal banks and dunes and gives information on the benefits of coast-friendly landscaping.
- Coastal Landscaping website - Provides information on storm-damage prevention and other benefits of appropriate landscaping approaches, along with detailed information on how to effectively landscape coastal banks, beaches, and dunes.
Pilot Projects
From 2009-2011, CZM conducted five pilot projects to implement StormSmart techniques. The goal was to provide "direct in-community" technical assistance to help local officials effectively adopt these strategies and tools and to develop models that could be used by other communities. The following seven communities participated in these pilot projects:
Other Frequently Requested Information
The following additional StormSmart materials are frequently accessed from the CZM website:
- Tools to Assist in Interpreting Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Insurance Study Reports - This page provides resources to help correctly interpret FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies.
- Assessing Vulnerability of Coastal Areas and Properties - Resources for identifying erosion impacts and flooding vulnerabilities, including storm surge and sea level rise, are provided on this page.
- Mitigation and Shore Protection - Hazard mitigation activities focus on breaking the cycle of disaster (damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage); protect citizens; and reduce or eliminate damage to public and private property.
- Using Freeboard to Elevate Structures Above Predicted Floodwaters - This page discusses elevating a home above legally mandated heights to reduce flood insurance costs, decrease storm damage and flooding impacts, and help protect against sea level rise.