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Council adopts floodplain ordinance updates but retains 12‑inch freeboard after amendment
Summary
Council adopted updates to the city's floodplain regulations to align with state and federal model language and to clarify adaptive reuse allowances in floodways, but rejected a staff recommendation to raise the mandatory freeboard to 18 inches; the council adopted the ordinance with the existing 12‑inch freeboard.
Lynchburg City Council adopted amendments to the city floodplain management regulations that align local code with state and federal model language while clarifying some adaptive‑reuse options for existing structures in floodway areas. The planning commission recommended the changes after a public hearing.
Staff presented three main changes: (1) update the underlying zoning allowances for structures in floodway areas to enable adaptive reuse of existing buildings (but not new construction or expansions), (2) other technical and code updates to align with the model ordinance reviewed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and FEMA, and (3) a staff recommendation to increase the required freeboard — the elevation above the predicted flood water surface — from 12 inches (the typical federal minimum) to 18 inches for new or substantially improved structures.
Following public comment, including a question about whether higher freeboard would lower flood insurance premiums, council members debated the freeboard level. Staff and the presenter said the 18‑inch proposal could help the city score additional points if Lynchburg later chose to pursue participation in the Community Rating System (CRS), which can reduce flood insurance premiums for residents, but that the city had not yet formally entered CRS.
A motion was made and adopted to approve the ordinance updates but to retain the existing 12‑inch freeboard standard in the local code; staff said the 12‑inch requirement meets FEMA minimums and that the council could revisit a higher freeboard in the future if it later pursues CRS participation.
Why it matters
Floodplain code updates affect how repairs, substantial improvements and redevelopment in flood‑prone areas are regulated. Freeboard standards can affect building elevation requirements, construction costs and, over time, community flood‑insurance costs.
What to watch next
If the city later decides to pursue participation in CRS to seek reduced flood insurance premiums for property owners, staff indicated higher local standards such as increased freeboard could be revisited and codified at that time.
