Planning commission recommends floodplain-code edits after Ecology review; county to publish for public comment

Planning staff told the Board of Commissioners that the county’s updated floodplain document had been reviewed by the planning commission (January 27, February 24 and March 24) and that the commission recommended several technical corrections and clarifications. The staff presentation summarized three categories of suggested changes and noted that Department of Ecology comments had simplified text and removed duplicative provisions, which staff said would make the code easier to follow.

Staff also reported continuing work to satisfy a FEMA request after a community assistance visit. FEMA had identified a set of previously unpermitted structures in mapped floodways; county staff said they were preparing letters for property owners that describe why certain post‑improvement work was not considered “substantial improvement” (for example, roofing and siding instead of major structural change). Once the county documents permits or enforcement actions for those properties FEMA will consider those issues closed on the county’s side.

Commissioners discussed process steps: staff said the draft floodplain code will be released for public comment and scheduled for a public hearing. Staff proposed a public-comment period consistent with standard practice (14 days for certain notices, 30 days for project comment) and to notify interested stakeholders — for example, local Farm Bureau and neighborhood groups — before the public hearing. Staff and commissioners confirmed the document sits in the county’s building-code administration but is administered by planning, and that changes would be shared with FEMA after the public-review and adoption steps.

No final adoption occurred at the meeting; commissioners directed staff to post the revised draft for public comment, notify identified stakeholders, and schedule the public hearing per the county’s normal notice period.