HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 08 03 AIS Floodplain Citizen InvolvementAGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 8/3/2021
Meeting Type:Regular Meeting
Staff
Contact/Dept.:
Katie Carroll and Sandy
Belson/DPW
Staff Phone No:736-7135
Estimated Time: 15 min.
COMMITTEE FOR CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT (CCI) Council Goals: Mandate
ITEM TITLE: FLOODPLAIN OVERLAY DISTRICT UPDATE: CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT
STRATEGY
ACTION
REQUESTED:
Review and approve or modify the Citizen Involvement Strategy for required updates to
the Floodplain Overlay District in the Springfield Development Code Section 3.3-400.
ISSUE
STATEMENT:
The City of Springfield is a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) community and
must adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance regulating development in
the community’s floodplain. As part of a Community Assistance Visit (CAV)
conducted by the Department of Land Conservation and Development, which
coordinates the program in Oregon, the City must adopt an updated floodplain
development ordinance to ensure compliance with current NFIP minimum standards.
Staff has prepared a Citizen Involvement Strategy for this process for CCI approval.
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Floodplain Overlay District Update: Citizen Involvement Strategy
Communication Memorandum
DISCUSSION: Staff proposes the following Citizen Involvement Strategy for updates to the Floodplain
Overlay District:
Mailed notice to impacted property owners within the Floodplain Zone A
Newspaper Notice
Notice posted on the City Website
Springfield Planning Commission Public Hearing
Springfield City Council and Lane County Board of Commissioners Joint
Public Hearing
COMMUNICATION MEMORANDUM Meeting Date:8/3/2021
Staff Contact/Dept.: Katie Carroll and Sandy
Belson/DPW
Staff Phone No:736-7135
S P R I N G F I E L D
COMMITTEE FOR CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT
INFORMATION SHARE:
Floodplain Overlay District Ordinance Update: Citizen Involvement Strategy
I. Background:
The City of Springfield participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by
FEMA which requires participating communities to adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance
regulating development in the community’s floodplain. Participation in the NFIP qualifies the community
for reduced rates when flood insurance is recommended or required by lenders, helps protect development
within the floodplain from flood damage, and ensures the beneficial functions of floodplains are preserved.
Participation in the program includes periodic Community Assistance Visits (CAV) from a flood insurance
coordinator to evaluate the local program in relation to regulations governing the NFIP. Oregon’s
Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), which is designated as the state’s NFIP
coordinating agency, initiated a CAV with the City of Springfield which is resulting in updates to the
City’s program.
To complete the CAV and ensure compliance with current NFIP minimum standards for participation, the
City of Springfield must adopt an updated floodplain development ordinance to align with the State of
Oregon Model Flood Hazard Management Ordinance prepared by DLCD and approved by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region X (effective October 23, 2020). The current floodplain
regulations of the Springfield Development Code (Floodplain Overlay District, Springfield Development
Code, Section 3.3-400) were adopted based upon the previous requirements and code guidance provided by
FEMA for participation in the NFIP program. The existing regulations provided the minimum safeguards
for tracking fill, flood-proofing development, and establishing regulatory floodplain and flood way
locations and elevations. The new model code provides updated minimum floodplain regulations required
by FEMA for continued participation in the program and protection of areas within the community subject
to flooding. The City is overdue on completion of this remaining item. Staff will work, with the assistance
of DLCD’s NFIP Coordinator, to make updates to the current Floodplain Overlay District Ordinance to
ensure compliance with minimum standards as is consistent with the City’s past practice.
II. Citizen Involvement Strategy:
Per Section II.A.1.b.(2) of the City of Springfield’s Citizen Involvement Program, the Springfield
Committee for Citizen Involvement (CCI) is charged with:
“The preparation and adoption of legislation or other programs necessary to implement adopted
plans. In this context the citizen involvement program must provide the opportunity to participate
in the preparation and adoption of such legislation or programs.”
The Citizen Involvement Strategy for the updated Floodplain Overlay District will follow the requirements
of a legislative decision to amend the Springfield Development Code. Those requirements consist of
posting notice in the newspaper and on the city’s website to inform the public of the proposed changes and
public hearings. The City will also mail notice of the public hearing on the proposed changes to impacted
property owners within the Floodplain Zone A.
Attachment 1, Page 1 of 2
For this Citizen Involvement Strategy, two public hearings will be held:
Before the City’s Planning Commission on September 8, 2021, and;
Before a joint meeting of the City of Springfield City Council and Lane County Board of
Commissioners anticipated to be held in December, 2021.
Through an intergovernmental agreement with Lane County, the City is responsible for land use
regulations in the urbanizable area of the urban growth boundary. Therefore, to be effective in the
urbanizable area, Lane County must co-adopt the floodplain regulations to be applicable outside the city
limits.
Because only minor updates are being proposed to the City’s adopted floodplain ordinance to ensure
alignment with updated NFIP regulating language, the focus of the citizen involvement strategy will be the
opportunity to participate in two (2) public hearings during the adoption process. FEMA is currently
updating the floodplain maps covering the City of Springfield through the federal Risk MAP program.
Staff anticipates that there will be an opportunity for more extensive public involvement during the
upcoming floodplain map adoption process, including the opportunity for the community to discuss the
option to adopt floodplain ordinance language that goes beyond minimum standards as has been done by
Lane County.
Attachment 1, Page 2 of 2