St. Pete Beach updates damage-assessment, permitting and appeals steps after storm

St. Pete Beach officials outlined changes to post‑storm damage assessments and the building‑permit process at a public meeting, urging homeowners and condo associations to submit appraisals or permit records to speed reversals of some substantial‑damage letters.

Denise Sanderson, director of community development, told attendees the city is adjusting procedures daily and is focused on shortening the time from intake to permit issuance, clarifying condo notifications, and sending “0% damage from flooding” letters to properties above a specified ground elevation. “FEMA really requires that we're consistent and that we apply our policies to the extent practicable across the entire community,” Sanderson said.

The changes matter because federal rules and future audits will hinge on whether the city applied consistent methods across the community. Sanderson said the city has begun a new administrative review step: staff will search the permit system for existing SISD review packages or actual cash‑value (ACV) appraisals and, where those documents show repairs below the FEMA 50% substantial‑damage threshold, issue non‑substantial determinations without waiting for an appeal.

City staff reported permit and assessment numbers as context for the change. Sanderson said the city has issued 1,256 permits since the storm; about 300 permits already have final inspections, and roughly 769 are in various stages of review. She also said the department is averaging about 34 permit issuances per day and expects that rate to rise as review processes are adjusted.

Condo associations received special emphasis. Sanderson said the Pinellas County Property Appraiser has begun publishing structure (building) values for entire condominium buildings. Where the structure value is available and shows a building is 4 stories or taller, Sanderson said owners should generally be able to proceed with repair permits without a substantial‑damage designation. For some 3‑story buildings or mixed‑story configurations, she recommended condo associations consider a private structure appraisal so that unit‑level repairs do not accidentally exceed the 50% threshold when compared to the building’s total structure value.

Sanderson explained how the contractor hired to perform large‑scale damage assessments (referred to in the meeting as Tidal Basin) calculated “computed damages” using an adjusted tax assessment and exterior observations. She warned that drive‑by assessments can assume higher interior damage because assessors often did not enter homes; those assumptions can overstate repair costs. “What we're seeing is that the computed damages are greater than the actual cost of repairs, but it is resulting in some substantial‑damage determinations that ultimately will be reversed upon opening that process,” she said.

To reduce those mismatches, Sanderson said the city will reissue letters for properties determined to have 0% flood damage based on LiDAR ground elevation data. She gave an elevation cutoff used by staff: properties with a ground elevation at or above about 7.2 feet (the city’s internal threshold tied to local data showing flood heights at about 7.15 feet in many areas) will receive a 0% flood‑damage notice. Sanderson said the list includes hundreds of properties and that the letters would be mailed the following week.

On appeals and documentation: homeowners may submit a SISD review package (formerly called the FEMA packet), an ACV appraisal, or permit records as part of an appeal. Sanderson said appeals do not necessarily require new spending: “Appealing, it doesn't mean you have to go spend money,” she said, adding that photographs and the SISD packet will often be the fastest path. She also said the building official can challenge methodology but generally will not overturn a licensed appraiser’s valuation without reason.

The city announced temporary fee and enforcement policies. Sanderson said permit and plan‑examination fees are waived through April 22 (city date cited at the meeting) and that the department is not currently issuing penalties for residents who performed emergency repairs without permits; however, she warned that required work such as replacement of wiring affected by saltwater would still be enforced at inspection. She also said the city will be obligated to follow up when FEMA flood‑insurance claims exist but no permit was pulled, because FEMA considers unpermitted claims a potential issue.

Staff also discussed federal and state grant programs that might fund elevation or mitigation work — Sanderson named the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Swift Current as programs the state is pursuing on behalf of homeowners. She cautioned that grant funding could take 12 to 18 months to become available and urged owners not to undertake major elevation work before grant‑eligibility rules are clear; limited repairs to make a home safely occupiable would still be allowable, she said.

Sanderson closed by pointing homeowners to the city’s appeals process and posted resources (including forms available at the meeting), and she announced a public help session the following Monday to walk people through appeals and required documentation.

Ending: City staff encouraged residents to submit permit numbers, appraisals or SISD packages if already provided so staff can locate those records and resolve determinations administratively; residents with specific property questions were directed to use the city’s SDE appeal contact listed on the city website or to pick up appeal forms at the permit desk.