PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — New Port Richey's city council took a step Tuesday that officials said is meant to prevent flooding for residents who live in manufactured homes. Members approved a change to the land development code that will require the homes be elevated to at least one foot above the base flood elevation.

"We are not seeing an increased incidence of flooding in the city. We just think it's a proactive move to prevent future hardship for residents," said New Port Richey City Manager Debbie Manns.

The city didn't see flooding from Hurricane Debby to the extent that other communities did, but it's been working to help residents prepare for the worst. Council members have been taking steps to improve its rating under the Community Rating System (CRS) from FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program. A better rating would mean bigger discounts on policies for residents. Right now, the city classifies as a seven, which amounts to a 15% discount. 

"This is important. Staff were here late after hours. They were here on the weekend. They've been looking at this and a bunch of other ways that we can start chipping away and getting that rating down to five, save almost 25 percent," Councilman Bertell Butler IV said during Tuesday's meeting.

Manns said the change impacts new installments and replacements — not existing homes. She told Spectrum Bay News 9 the goal is also to protect homeowners from water damage.

"In particular on the west side of U.S.-19, if you have a mobile home and we have a significant water event, you're going to get wet in a mobile home," she said. "We just don't want that to be the case because it's far too dangerous and far too expensive."

James Shepherd, general manager of Prestige Home Centers in Hudson which sells manufactured homes, said he's running into requirements like New Port Richey's more often.

"Right now, there's this little hodgepodge of different building departments that have different requirements," Shepherd said.

"We did a job out in Polk County, as an example, where it was still finished floor elevation as opposed to the bottom of the I-beam. We just did one here in Pasco County where, actually, the ground was 3 feet higher than base flood elevation, and the county still required us to do all the requisite surveys and elevation certificates to quantify that the height was appropriate. The lenders still required flood insurance."

"I think it's an overreaction," Shepherd continued. "I think their heart's in the right place in terms of wanting to make sure that the homeowners don't have a flooded-out home. That part, I agree with. I just think they're going about it in a way that's going to end up hurting the customers, hurting the homeowners."

He said meeting new height requirements can add $5,000 to $10,000 onto the cost of a home, which some potential customers can't afford. Details vary from site to site, but Shepherd said in some cases, an engineered foundation system or stilts could be needed to meet height requirements.

"The argument I would have would be, they should make it the finished floor, it should have to be at or above base flood elevation," said Shepherd, who noted that was previously the standard. "Somehow, it got changed or whatever to where FEMA wanted the bottom of the I-beam to be one full foot above that base flood elevation. The joke in our industry is you're spending thousands of dollars to save a couple hundred dollars' worth of duct work for your air conditioner, because the duct work is underneath that."

Shepherd said he'd like to see local governments look at elevation requirements on a case-by-case basis.

Manns said New Port Richey is looking into additional steps to improve its CRS rating, including taking steps to preserve open space and conserve natural habitats.