2011-35 AMENDING ZONING ORDINANCE - FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT

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STAFF REPORT Decatur City Plan Commission COMMON NAME: City of Decatur Zoning Ordinance GENERAL INFORMATION Hearing Date June 2, 2011 Calendar No. 11-17 Requested Action Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance #3512) Petitioner Billy Tyus, Assistant City Manager BACKGROUND The City currently participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. By participating in the NFIP, property owners and residents became eligible to purchase subsidized, low cost flood insurance policies. As required, the City adopted rules regulating development and construction in the identified floodplains in the City. As a result of exponential increase in technological capabilities over the past several decades, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) formulated a process of modernizing the Flood Hazard Boundary Maps. The modernization process included updating all municipal boundaries, base flood elevations, etc. in a Countywide seamless, digital GIS map format overlain on the County's 2009 aerial imagery. The modernized maps provide City staff, citizens and property owners with maps that are much more user friendly, more accurate and of much better quality than was possible in the past. As a condition of the Map Modernization Program, FEMA requires the City "reauthorize" its desire to participate in the NFIP and to adopt the newly revised and updated flood hazard boundary maps prior to June 16, 2011. Failure to comply would result in the City's removal from the NFIP. Continued participation by the City in the NFIP allows property owners to retain their existing coverage or the opportunity to purchase affordable flood protection insurance. In exchange, the City is required to regulate development and construction in areas prone to flooding as identified on the Floodplain Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), dated June 16, 2011, which are the official maps. Staff has proposed a reauthorization process involving adoption of amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and City Code, which is summarized below and detailed on the following pages. 1) Delete the current content of Chapter 67.1, in City Code in its entirety, 2) Adopt the attached Floodplain Protection Provisions and insert in Chapter 67.1, 3) Delete the content of Section XXVI, Floodplain Management, in the Zoning Ordinance, in its entirety, retaining the section as "Reserved" for future use, 4) Adopt the additions, deletions and alterations of certain definitions in Section 11 of the Zoning Ordinance. Staff recommends the following amendments: DESCRIPTION 1. Amend the following definitions in SECTION II. StrikeetAs aro deletions; underlines are additions.