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Amherst County adopts updated flood-hazard overlay ordinance following FEMA review
Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted to adopt Ordinance 2024-6, updating Amherst County's flood hazard overlay to align with recent FEMA maps and state guidance; staff said FEMA confirmed compliance the same day.
The Amherst County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt Ordinance 2024-6, an update to the county's flood hazard overlay, after a public hearing and a presentation from county planning staff.
Planning staff told the board the revisions respond to reviews from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); staff said they received confirmation from FEMA the same day that the county ordinance changes comply with FEMA standards. The ordinance update also incorporates the new effective flood insurance study and map date: Feb. 14, 2025.
The ordinance adds updated definitions (including accessory structure, flood insurance study, floodway, new construction, post-FIRM and pre-FIRM, repetitive loss structure and severe repetitive loss structure), clarifies treatment of historic structures under the substantial-improvement standard, and adjusts standards for manufactured homes in the AE (approximate floodplain) zone. Staff noted language was added that allows flood insurance to be withheld from structures built in violation of the article.
Board members asked about public notice and opportunities to challenge the new maps. Planning staff said FEMA and the county notified affected property owners as part of the map process, that no formal objections were received during the comment period, and that property owners retain procedures to request map revisions or revisions to floodway and AE-zone delineations under the ordinance.
Chairman (name on record) moved to adopt Ordinance 2024-6 as presented; the motion carried. (See Actions for motion language and vote record.)
The adoption brings the county into textual alignment with state and federal floodplain-management expectations and sets the new map effective date used for permitting and insurance purposes. Staff said the ordinance package and map will be posted with other materials in the board packet.
The board took no additional amendments at the meeting and closed the public hearing before the vote.
