Don't worry, the trees will save you. In essence, that is what the Florida Building Commission and some in the building industry have tentatively decided. Despite the incredible devastation and loss of life the Gulf Coast region has endured in this current 30-year cycle of increased hurricane activity, there remains a myopic attitude of “It can't happen here” in the minds of some in the Florida Panhandle. That attitude is showing up in decision-making at the Florida Building Commission as it considers changes to strengthen the building code.
In 2000, the Florida Legislature established the Florida Uniform Statewide Building Code and, among other important standards, required shutters or impact-resistant glass on all new residential construction in “windborne debris regions.” The regions were defined as areas where winds were projected to be 120 mile an hour or greater during a major hurricane. This is five miles from the coast, on average, and considerably farther inland in some places.
There is a consensus in the engineering community that a home is more likely to survive 120 mph or higher winds if the windows and doors remain intact. This can be achieved through storm shutters or impact-resistant glass, reinforced garage doors and other enhancements protecting a structure from flying debris, including lumber, roofing tiles, and concrete blocks. The structure is less likely to sustain major damage and will be much safer if residents are forced to ride out the storm at home.
Unfortunately, a weaker standard was established for the Panhandle, from Franklin County to Escambia County. Requirements for shutters or impact-resistant glass on new homes were limited to one mile from the Gulf Coast. West Florida builders and legislators argued that the region's topography, including heavy forestation, would disperse major winds as a storm moved inland.
Since that time, the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons have wreaked havoc not only on Florida, but also all along the Gulf Coast. That has prompted Gov. Jeb Bush and others to join with the insurance community in urging the Building Commission to establish a statewide building code with the same windborne debris protection standards for west Florida that apply to the rest of Florida.
The Commission, during the Destin hearing, did endorse a plan to replace the one-mile corridor with windborne debris regions based on projections of 130 mph winds or greater. The impact would be shutter requirements on new homes in the western half of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, a few miles from the coast in Walton and Bay counties, about half of Gulf County and the lower third of Franklin County.
The Commission is relying upon a study by Applied Research Associates which suggests designation of 120 mph wind zones — which would encompass all of Gulf and Franklin counties and a portion of Liberty County and huge chunks of west Florida — as shutter protection zones is not necessary, on the assumption that trees in the wooded Panhandle would serve as a buffer.
This is a misguided approach. There is not an agreement among the engineering community that trees are an effective buffer against high hurricane-force winds. Furthermore, just how long can we expect this buffer to remain with some large landowners and developers actively marketing this part of the state as the next slice of paradise? No one needs a reminder of the damage and destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but what many people forget is that two days before Katrina hit forecasters pointed for a landfall in the Florida Panhandle.
It is a na?ve position to believe that because storms haven't hit the Panhandle with the frequency or intensity in the past as other parts of the state that they won't in the future. The Panhandle will be struck by a major storm. The only question is when.
We can only do our best to prepare. That includes adopting for all of Florida state-of-the-art, hurricane-resistant construction standards including shutter requirements. We will make homes safer, reduce the likelihood of major damage, and, over the years, control hurricane losses and insurance rates.
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader
Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
