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Talent council authorizes work to comply with new National Flood Insurance Program requirements
Summary
Council voted to accept a staff recommendation to pursue pre-implementation compliance options for the National Flood Insurance Program after a consultant outlined three possible 'pathways' (prohibition on new development in floodplain, habitat assessment/permit-by-permit approach, or adopting FEMA/DLCD model code). Council authorized staff to attend study sessions and prepare needed ordinances.
The Talent City Council voted Oct. 16 to begin city-level work to comply with new National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements arising from a recent Endangered Species Act-related legal determination that affects Oregon.
Rowan Fairfield, the consultant working with the city, told council that FEMA offered three pre-implementation compliance pathways for communities in Oregon: 1) a prohibition on all new development in floodplain areas; 2) a habitat-assessment, permit-by-permit approach requiring technical reports; and 3) adoption of a model code that FEMA and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) have worked on to meet ESA requirements. Fairfield said the city must select a pathway by a Dec. 1 pre-implementation deadline or otherwise proceed with additional steps to remain in good standing with NFIP.
Staff recommended multi-jurisdictional study sessions for planners and commissioners, and preparing ordinances that would align Talent’s code with the selected pathway. Councilors asked for a high-level sketch of the three options; Fairfield explained the model-code route is roughly between the two extremes and may most closely align with existing city code with added ESA-compliance sections.
Councilor Byers moved and council seconded adoption of a resolution declaring the City of Talent’s intent to comply with the new NFIP requirements and to participate in study sessions and ordinance preparation. The motion passed by roll call with councilors voting "Yes." Staff said next steps include study sessions, drafting ordinance language and returning with recommendations before the implementation deadline.
The city emphasized that the changes could significantly affect property owners whose land touches the special-flood-hazard area, and that open study sessions and planning-commission engagement are planned so council and staff can assess local impacts before choosing a pathway.
