Planning commission recommends removing parking restriction in Springdale special flood hazard area

SPRINGDALE, Mar. 19 — The Springdale Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended approval of a proposed change to the town code that would remove a prohibition on placing parking spaces inside or within 10 feet of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).

Town staff presented the amendment during a public hearing that drew no public comment. The commission voted 5-0 to forward the recommended code change after a brief deliberation that focused on an unintended consequence staff said the current rule had produced: developers locating parking on higher ground while siting homes in lower, more flood-prone portions of lots.

Nong, a town staff member, told commissioners that the February work session had examined chapter 10-23 and, in particular, the code language that bars parking spaces inside or within 10 feet of the SFHA. "The houses are more vulnerable, and the people's homes are more vulnerable than parking spaces, I think," Nong said, summarizing staff's rationale for the draft revision. The staff report included background on…