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Sumner County planning commission defers vote on raising flood freeboard from 1 to 3 feet
Summary
The Sumner County Regional Planning Commission discussed a resolution to change the local flood freeboard requirement from 1 foot to 3 feet above base flood elevation, debated the need for metrics showing risk reduction, and voted to defer action one month.
The Sumner County Regional Planning Commission on Oct. 21 debated a resolution (Planning Commission Resolution 2025-01) that would amend county zoning rules to raise the required freeboard for structures from 1 foot to 3 feet above the base flood elevation, then voted to defer the measure for one month.
The proposal, presented by planning staff as a one-line change to the zoning resolution’s flood hazard reduction provisions, would replace references to “1 foot” of freeboard with “3 feet.” Staff said public-notification requirements had been met and that the next step, if the commission approved, would be to forward a recommendation to the County Commission.
Commissioners and other members asked for data quantifying the public-benefit and cost tradeoffs. “If 3 feet would have prevented 50% of the floods that have occurred up to this point, but an extra foot would have prevented 90% of them, then that extra foot is worth millions,” said a commissioner during the discussion. Several commissioners said they wanted metrics from FEMA or other sources showing how many historic flood losses would have been avoided at different freeboard levels.
Commissioners noted competing priorities: higher freeboard increases construction cost but may reduce future damage. “Lifting the house 2 feet is cheap compared to what the actual loss in a flood would be,” a commissioner said, while others cautioned that choosing a height without supporting analysis felt arbitrary.
Commissioner Miller moved to defer consideration for one month; the amendment to defer was seconded and passed unanimously in a roll call: Mister Straub — yes; Mister Issa — yes; Commissioner Holmes — yes; Mister Miller — yes; Mister Dolger — yes. The commission set a special meeting for the following Wednesday at 5 p.m. to resume discussion.
Staff was asked to try to provide quantitative metrics on flood risk reduction at various freeboard heights before the next meeting so commissioners could weigh costs and benefits. The matter will return to the planning commission before any recommendation is forwarded to the County Commission.
The commission then moved to the next agenda item, Emma Acres final plat.
