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Wells planning board reopens floodplain ordinance debate after FEMA remap
Summary
At a Nov. 17 workshop, town staff, the code officer, insurance experts and residents debated revisions to Chapter 116’s definitions and whether to reset the 50% substantial-improvement clock at 5, 10 years or keep 'life of structure.' The board asked staff to draft options for a public hearing.
WELLS, Maine — The Town of Wells Planning Board on Monday held a workshop on potential changes to the town’s Chapter 116 floodplain management ordinance after updated FEMA maps expanded the number of properties in flood zones.
Mike (planning staff) told the board the ordinance change adopted by voters in June 2024 accompanied FEMA’s first major map updates since 2003 and that the two central definitional issues under review are how the town calculates market value and how it defines “substantial improvement.” Those two definitions determine when the ordinance’s 50% threshold requires owners to floodproof structures.
The debate centered on three reset-period options: a five-year rolling reset, a 10-year reset, or the current 'life of structure' approach allowed under FEMA…
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