Commission adopts update to flood hazard districts to align with revised FEMA maps

The Florence City Planning Commission voted to adopt amendments to the city’s flood hazard district regulations to maintain compliance with the revised FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Insurance Study dated March 25, 2025.

Staff explained FEMA released preliminary updated maps in 2022 and that property-owner‑driven Letter of Map Amendments were incorporated into the current maps. The planner said the changes within the city were "very minuscule" and that a notable delineation occurred just outside city limits near Alligator Road; that change did not expand regulation into the city.

The amendment updates references in the city’s riparian buffer and flood-hazard code sections to cite the new maps and Flood Insurance Study dated March 25, 2025. Staff also added FEMA‑required language directing reviewers to "determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding" and inserted a required definition for "new manufactured home park or subdivision," tied to the original 1981 FIRM baseline.

Commissioners discussed whether the new language expanded staff authority; staff said the "reasonably safe from flooding" language is FEMA-prescribed and applies only to regulated floodplain permits. No appeals had been filed within the city during FEMA's appeal period, staff said, and the commission approved the ordinance amendment by voice vote.

Staff noted the change applies only to regulated floodplains (streams and tributaries such as Jeffreys Creek, Alligator Swamp/Mill Pond and portions of Black Creek) and not to nuisance stormwater flooding across the city.

The commission's action forwards the code amendment to city council for final adoption procedures as required.