Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Flood Management Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Board to workshop flood‑management ordinance after members raise inconsistencies with FEMA and utility practices
Summary
Board members asked staff to prepare materials for a workshop on the town's flood management ordinance, citing differences with FEMA practice on the 50% substantial‑improvement rule, building valuation for repairs, and utility/electrical meter elevations relative to local flood elevation rules.
Planning board members signaled a desire to workshop the Town of Wells' flood‑management ordinance after staff outlined several areas where the town’s rules diverge from FEMA guidance and neighboring coastal communities.
Mike (town planner) summarized items the board should review, including the town's treatment of the FEMA 50% substantial‑improvement rule, the town's approach to carrying an initial improvement monetary threshold for the life of a structure, and a local requirement that electrical utilities and connections be elevated one foot above the flood elevation. Mike said other coastal communities reset the monetary threshold after a set period (for example, five years), whereas Wells currently retains the initial value for the life of the structure — an approach staff said may merit reconsideration.
Why it matters: the town's flood rules influence what repairs and improvements homeowners can make after damage and affect where and how utilities such as CMP meters are installed. Board members noted practical conflicts: CMP typically places meters at approximately 5 to 5.5 feet above grade for accessibility, while Wells requires utility connections to be at least one foot above the base flood elevation. That difference can create conflicts on high‑risk coastal lots.
Board direction and next steps
The board discussed scheduling a workshop and asked staff to prepare materials and invite code office staff so the board can understand permitting workflow and the practical effects of code language on property owners. Topics flagged for the workshop included: - The definition and application of “substantial improvement” and whether the town should allow reappraisals/appraisals after intervening improvements (to align practice with FEMA's uniform rules used in many coastal towns). - The town's policy on required elevation of utilities relative to flood elevations and how that interacts with utility company rules (e.g., CMP). - Disparities between assessed/taxable value and the value used for repair‑cost calculations under the 50% rule. - Recent state permit‑by‑rule changes for seawalls and how they affect local permitting.
Board members agreed to schedule the workshop for an upcoming meeting so that any ordinance language the board wants to pursue for the November update cycle can be prepared in time. Staff agreed to circulate comparative materials from other coastal communities and to coordinate with the code office to explain how permits are currently processed and calculated.
Context: Planning staff provided a packet including comparative references to other coastal town practices and noted the complexity of FEMA maps, GIS layers and permit procedures. The board emphasized the need for clear public guidance so residents and contractors understand when they must seek a permit and how the town applies the rules to particular lots.
