Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Flood Protection topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board weighs 'wash‑through' options and building‑height limits to improve flood resilience
Summary
Members discussed city rules that limit building height to 25 feet (measured from road centerline) and how wash‑through (open ground under buildings) could allow additional elevation for flood resilience. Staff warned changes require controls on stormwater and neighbor impacts and suggested bringing subject matter experts to advise on standards.
Board members reviewed existing height limits and a city rule that measures allowed building height from the road centerline. Several members said the 25‑foot limit constrains owners who want higher ground‑level clearance for storm surge or flood adaptation.
Staff explained how a wash‑through design — non‑habitable open area at ground level often used for parking and flood passage — affects allowable height. The transcript records staff estimating a practical wash‑through clearance of about 12 feet at the ground level and two floors above that totaling roughly 30–32 feet, which exceeds the current 25‑foot standard in some districts.
Members emphasized the need to control stormwater so raised buildings do not simply shed runoff onto neighbors’ yards, and discussed limiting additional height to properties that demonstrate wash‑through design and stormwater mitigation. Several members favored allowing additional height only where it directly enables flood‑resilient design rather than broadly raising the maximum height for all properties.
Staff will seek subject matter experts and examples from other communities and return with potential drafting options for code amendments and design standards.
