The purpose of Flood Plain Management for the City of North Charleston is to protect our citizens and natural resources from natural disasters. This is accomplished by regulating development in special flood hazard areas that have been designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Flood Plain Managers of the City of North Charleston can also provide information to citizens concerning the special flood hazard area, insurance information, required elevations, copies of elevation certificates, ordinance clarifications, informational handouts and web resources. Upon request, citizens can request copies of the elevation certificate for their residence from the Flood Plain Manager, if available.
Flood Plain Management Resources Available:
- FEMA
- Charleston County Public Library
- Berkeley County
- Charleston County
- Dorchester County
- North Charleston Public Works
Charleston County’s new flood maps will become effective on January 29, 2021. The new maps will impact the requirement and cost for flood insurance for some Charleston County residents. These maps will also affect base flood elevation requirements on new construction homes and businesses. New construction applications and permits issued after January 29, 2021 will be evaluated and reviewed based on the new flood maps.
For any questions or concerns regarding your Special Flood Hazard property, please contact one of the following Certified Flood Plain Managers:
Toyah Smith, CFM; 843-740-2559
The Community Rating System
The Community Rating System (CRS) is a nationwide program sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This program has been in existence since 1990 and its objectives are to reduce flood losses, facilitate accurate insurance ratings, and promote awareness of flood insurance. The CRS program accomplishes its objectives by providing incentives in the form of flood insurance premium discounts for the citizens in its communities which participate in the program.
Additional information regarding the CRS program is available at the Charleston County Public Libraries, the City of North Charleston Building Inspections Department, and from FEMA on the web at http://www.fema.gov.
Flood Plain Contact Information
| Flood Plain Manager | Toyah Smith | 843-740-2559 |
| Flood Zone Information/Site Visits | Toyah Smith | 843-740-2559 |
| Drainage Complaints/Maintenance | Public Works | 843-745-1026 |
| Permitting/License Verification | Building Department | 843-740-2559 |
| DHEC (Coastal Resource Management) | ……………………….. | 843-744-5838 |
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | ……………………….. | 843-727-4330 |
| Chas. County Emergency Preparedness | ……………………….. | 843-202-7400 |
| South Carolina Electric and Gas | ……………………….. | 800-251-7234 |
| Charleston Water Systems | ……………………….. | 843-727-6800 |