Woodfin council adopts updated flood damage prevention ordinance, raises freeboard to 4 feet

The Town of Woodfin adopted Ordinance 2025-03 on April 15, approving a comprehensive update to Chapter 14, the town's flood damage prevention standards.

The council vote followed a staff presentation and a public hearing; the planning board of adjustment had recommended approval 5-0. The ordinance raises the freeboard (the required elevation above the base flood elevation) from two feet to four feet, keeps the existing 50% substantial-improvement threshold, lengthens the non-flood-related improvement look-back period, and preserves a limited allowance for placement of fill in the flood fringe.

Town staff said the updates largely align Woodfin's ordinance with the State model and clarify many definitions and procedures used by permitting staff. Shannon (staff member filling in for the planning director) told the council that the majority of changes are reorganizing and clarifying language, but highlighted four provisions that staff treated as more substantive: freeboard (elevation) requirements, the substantial-improvement threshold, the look-back period used to aggregate improvements, and whether fill is permitted in the flood fringe.

Shannon said the town's review of buildings along the French Broad River after Tropical Storm Helene showed the existing two-foot freeboard was frequently insufficient. 'Buildings elevated two feet above the base flood elevation experienced water up to the threshold,' she said, and recommended increasing freeboard to four feet to reduce future damage.

The adopted ordinance retains the 50% substantial-improvement trigger, meaning repair or renovation work that cumulatively exceeds 50% of a structure's tax-assessed value requires the building to meet the updated elevation and other flood-proofing standards. Staff proposed lengthening the look-back period: standard (non-flood-related) renovations will be aggregated across a five-year period, while flood-related repairs will be measured across a 10-year look-back window to determine whether the substantial-improvement threshold is met.

The ordinance continues to allow limited use of fill in the flood fringe. Staff and council said fill can be a practical solution for certain small structures such as park restrooms where elevating the whole structure would be impractical, and that FEMA rules and the local context limit the potential for fill to cause additional downstream harm.

Council members discussed trade-offs. Supporters said higher freeboard reduces future damage and long-term costs; others noted increased elevation requirements can raise the cost of rebuilding and can leave some existing uses effectively nonconforming if owners choose not to elevate. The ordinance preserves statutory exceptions for designated historic properties.

After the public hearing closed with no speakers, the council found the update consistent with the Woodfin Together comprehensive plan and voted by roll call to adopt Ordinance 2025-03. The clerk recorded the roll call as: Owen ' yes; Edgerton ' yes; Herman ' yes; Hahn ' yes; Norton ' yes; Young ' yes.

The ordinance will change permitting and reconstruction obligations for properties in mapped flood-prone areas; staff said they expect to revisit the topic again during the town's larger comprehensive code update.

The council and staff emphasized that the update is intended to reduce future flood losses and to bring the ordinance in line with best practices and the town's recently adopted comprehensive plan.

For affected property owners, staff recommended contacting the planning office before beginning repairs so permit requirements and look-back aggregation can be explained.

The council packet includes the full ordinance text, the model ordinance comparison, and the planning board's review notes.

The town clerk recorded adoption at the April 15 council meeting.