Chambers County Commissioners voted to adopt updates to the county’s floodplain management regulations that raise elevation and protection standards for commercial and critical facilities.

County staff told the court the change is intended to improve the county’s Community Rating System (CRS) score under the National Flood Insurance Program and could reduce flood‑insurance premiums for policyholders without a direct cost to homeowners.

Darla (staff presenter) explained the principal changes: nonresidential commercial and industrial buildings would be required to meet an elevation or watertight standard approximately one foot higher than current county practice (the staff summary stated the requirement as two feet above base flood elevation in some cases), and critical facilities such as hospitals and schools will be held to the residential standard. The staff presentation said residential standards remain unchanged.

During the public hearing and subsequent discussion, county staff clarified scope and implementation. One commissioner asked whether the new standard helps an average homeowner; staff replied the rule is aimed at reducing claims and risk countywide rather than producing immediate homeowner benefit. The court agreed that projects already under review would be grandfathered and not retroactively altered.

Commissioner Dagley moved and Commissioner Gore seconded an amended motion to approve the update and make it effective upon filing with a cleaned, red‑lined version returned to the court; the motion carried by voice vote. Staff said grammatical and renumbering edits in the draft would be cleaned up and placed on a future consent agenda as the final, formatted order.

What happened: The court approved updated floodplain management regulations, raised standards for commercial and critical facilities, and approved making the change effective pending return of the cleaned ordinance language.

What to watch next: County staff will provide the cleaned, final order back to the court for placement on a consent agenda and will proceed with CRS documentation to FEMA.