Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Floodplain Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Port Angeles adopts flood-damage prevention ordinance to meet FEMA mapping deadline
Summary
The City Council adopted updates to Port Angeles Municipal Code chapter 15.12 to comply with Washington state guidance and FEMA requirements tied to updated flood insurance rate maps that take effect April 23, 2025, preserving community access to the National Flood Insurance Program.
Port Angeles City Council voted unanimously to adopt updates to Port Angeles Municipal Code chapter 15.12 (flood damage prevention), changes staff said are necessary to meet state and federal requirements ahead of newly updated Federal Emergency Management Agency flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) that take effect April 23, 2025.
Courtney Bournsworth, natural resources and grant administrator, told council that FEMA notified the city in February 2024 that the existing chapter 15.12 did not meet state and federal requirements. Staff prepared a State Environmental Policy Act checklist (noticed June 8, 2024), held a public comment period that closed June 22, 2024 (no comments received), and revised the code to align with the Washington State model ordinance. The Planning Commission voted on March 26, 2025, to advise adoption of the ordinance.
Why it matters: City staff said the code revisions are required for Port Angeles to remain eligible for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Manager Cartmull summarized the risk in plain terms: “the NFIP is the insurance program that they have to be compliant with FEMA in order to get insurance and get lower rates on flood insurance.” Staff told council the primary changes include added and modified definitions, clarified construction standards for development in flood-prone areas, clearer language on penalties for violations, and other edits to bring the municipal code into compliance with state and federal standards.
Staff recommendation and action: Staff recommended that council conduct the first reading, waive the second reading, and adopt the ordinance (municipal code amendment 24-49). Council adopted the ordinance as part of the consent agenda and approved the related ordinance action unanimously.
Background and next steps: FEMA began updating FIRMs for the area in 2021; preliminary maps were completed in 2023 and the updated maps will become effective April 23, 2025. City staff emphasized that failure to adopt the updated ordinance by that date could result in suspension from the NFIP and loss of community eligibility for federally backed flood insurance.
Council members asked staff whether the updated maps represented major changes for Port Angeles; staff said shoreline designations remain generally the same and stream-related flood areas are modestly larger than before, but staff characterized the changes as not significant for most properties in the city. The ordinance and supporting materials remain part of the council packet and are available through staff.
