CRS Program

GRIFTON  — Grifton homeowners should see a significant decrease in their flood insurance policies, thanks to the town's success in protecting and maintaining Special Flood Hazard areas.

The Town of Grifton recently received a Class 5 rating in the Community Rating System (CRS), a program under FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that rates communities in their efforts to reduce the effects of flooding.

The CRS is based on a scale of 10 to 1, with a Class 10 receiving no discount in flood insurance and each grade lower receiving a five-percent discount. The reward for a Class 5 rating is a twenty-five percent discount for NFIP policies issued or renewed in the 100-year flood plain.

The three main goals of the CRS are to reduce flood losses, facilitate accurate insurance rating and to promote the awareness of flood insurance.

There are only 26 communities that have received a Class 5 rating or better. which is only three percent of the 1006 CRS communities. Grifton is one of only two communities in North Carolina with a Class 5 or higher. Wrightsville Beach is the other North Carolina community with a Class 5 rating. Portions of Pitt County received a Class 8 rating, qualifying homeowners for a 10 percent discount. The Town of Farmville also received a Class 8 rating.

According to Peoples, the Grifton community will save close to $13,500.00 with the rating. All the discounts will automatically renew for a period of five years and Grifton is responsible for making sure the town maintains the Class 5 rating.

Peoples said the town has worked on this project for three years, with the assistance of the Pitt County Planning Board and two planning interns from East Carolina University.

Grifton earned 1,928 points out of a possible 2,926 for the acquisition and relocation of structures and properties in the Special Flood Hazard Areas. Some activities where Grifton earned points included Elevation Certificates, Map Information, Outreach Projects, Flood Protection Information, Open Space Preservation, Stormwater Management, Drainage System Maintenance as well as several others.

Peoples said the town posts a lot of informational items in both the Town Hall and on their website to inform citizens of floodplain issues, which helps in obtaining, and maintaining, the high rating.

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