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Wauwatosa staff say FEMA-driven floodplain code update requires special council meeting Oct. 1
Summary
City engineering staff introduced a FEMA/DNR model ordinance updating Wauwatosa’s floodplain zoning; the city attorney urged a special common council meeting on Oct. 1 so the city can meet FEMA’s deadline and keep residents eligible for National Flood Insurance Program coverage.
Maggie Anderson, a senior civil engineer in Wauwatosa’s engineering department, told the Common Council on Sept. 24 that the city is proposing a comprehensive update to its floodplain zoning ordinance to remain in the National Flood Insurance Program.
“This is something FEMA is requiring us to update as a part of staying a part of the National Flood Insurance Program, and we received the model ordinance from the DNR,” Anderson said, noting that the update largely follows the state-provided language and does not change existing mapped floodplain boundaries, which remain the same as the 2008 maps.
City legal staff said meeting FEMA’s deadline requires faster action than the council’s existing schedule allows. The city attorney told the council the item will go to the Community Affairs Committee next week and asked the mayor to call a special common council meeting on Oct. 1 so the council can consider approval and the city can submit the ordinance in time.
“We just got notice of this today from FEMA or from the state DNR acting on behalf of FEMA,” the city attorney said, urging members to attend the special meeting to avoid temporary suspension from the National Flood Insurance Program.
The council opened the required public hearing, heard no in-person or online testimony and closed the hearing. Staff said the changes are a code update to remain compliant with the NFIP; map boundary updates would be handled later as part of a separate mapping process.
Next steps: staff will place the ordinance on the Community Affairs Committee agenda and the mayor is expected to call the special council meeting for Oct. 1 to allow a full council vote before the FEMA deadline.
