Roswell council adopts flood-damage code updates to keep NFIP eligibility; staff outlines FEMA reimbursements and recovery funding
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Summary
Council adopted Ordinance 25-06 updating the city's flood-damage prevention code to align with FEMA/NFIP rules; staff reported $11.5 million in FEMA approvals (about $600,000 received) and discussed SB31 revolving loan awards and an RFP to procure engineering services; debate continued over a proposed Flood Recovery Task Force.
The Roswell City Council on Nov. 13 voted 10'0to to adopt Ordinance 25-06, amending Chapter 11 of the Roswell City Code on flood-damage prevention to maintain compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program and related FEMA regulations.
City staff walked council through the redline changes drawn from federal code language and FEMA guidance, describing edits across multiple sections that add the term "floodplain development permit," spell out FEMA notification and approval steps for changes that alter base flood elevations and clarify enclosure and floodproofing conditions. "These proposed changes will not affect the current process or procedures in floodplain administration," staff said, but the changes reflect required language to retain NFIP participation.
Staff also provided updates on recovery financing and project planning. Emergency management submissions to FEMA included a damage inventory of 350 items and an estimated potential damage total in excess of $200 million; FEMA has approved roughly $11.5 million in reimbursement requests to date, and the city has received about $600,000 so far. Staff said the city applied for and received approvals for roughly $1 million in SB31 revolving loan funds to support early engineering and architecture work for two FEMA-approved projects (the adult center and the museum).
Council also moved to advertise RFP 26-002 to solicit architectural and engineering proposals for flood-related projects to produce plans and specifications needed to bid repairs and incorporate mitigation. Staff said the RFP will allow procurement for the FEMA-approved projects and other prioritized work; legal committee had recommended consideration.
A separate but related debate occupied council over Resolution 25-56 to create a Roswell Flood Recovery Task Force. Proponents said a small, focused five-member advisory group would preserve continuity across a recovery that could last 10'15 years and provide coordinated outreach to community groups. Several councilors urged broader community representation and public outreach, with suggestions to add one or two community members or specify clearer outreach responsibilities. The matter drew extensive discussion but the meeting record here focuses on the debate and the task force's advisory role rather than a final membership list.
What happens next: the city will publish the adopted ordinance changes, proceed with advertising RFP 26-002 for engineering services, continue to process FEMA reimbursements and SB31 fund agreements, and return to council with task force membership and operational details as those are developed.
