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Kendall County debates tightening floodplain rules; proposals would broaden manufactured-home and campground restrictions
Summary
Planning staff presented proposed changes to the county’s Flood Damage Prevention Order — including restricting manufactured‑home parks and organized campgrounds in the special flood hazard, minimum outside‑floodplain acreage for new subdivision lots, and a limited grandfathering path for previously existing structures in floodways. Commissioners asked for public notice and further legal review.
KENDALL COUNTY, TEXAS — The Kendall County Commissioners Court spent a large portion of Wednesday’s meeting weighing possible revisions to the county Flood Damage Prevention Order that officials say are aimed at reducing future flood risk while balancing property‑owner rights.
County planning staff described several proposed changes, including a revised definition of "manufactured home" to explicitly encompass mobile‑home parks, RV parks and organized commercial campgrounds in the special flood hazard area. The new language would prohibit commercial or organized tent campgrounds within the special flood hazard but allow private camping on private property, with the rules distinguishing between the two.
On subdivision standards, staff proposed reinstating a minimum area outside the floodplain at time of lot division — the draft language proposes 1 acre, though staff said the requirement could be adjusted to a half‑acre. "Putting a minimum standard in place to say you need to have this much area outside of the floodplain means going forward we're not creating subdivisions that are instantly putting people in harm's way," staff told commissioners.
Staff also asked whether the court wanted to allow limited relief for property owners with documented, previously existing structures located in the floodway — a form of grandfathering. Proposed safeguards included higher elevation requirements (for example, elevating new construction 2 feet above base flood elevation) or requiring updated flood studies using best‑available data such as Atlas 14 rainfall if a new study were needed.
Commissioners said they supported moving the draft language forward for public notice and a formal hearing, with several members urging caution on sweeping changes until countywide hydrologic studies (funded through flood‑mitigation grants) are complete. Commissioner discussion focused on whether to require a fixed elevation standard (2 feet above base flood) or to require a more precise, but costlier, site‑specific study using Atlas 14 data.
What’s next: Staff said they will revise the draft language based on commissioner feedback, perform legal review, and return to court with a formal flood damage prevention order for public notice and hearing. Staff emphasized that the draft language is intended as a starting point for community review, not a final rule change.
