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West Bend Plan Commission adopts updated floodplain text and FIRM maps effective Feb. 20, 2026
Summary
The Plan Commission approved a zoning-text amendment adopting FEMA FIRM language with minor local modifications and voted to adopt updated FIRM maps effective Feb. 20, 2026; staff said changes are standard state wording and unlikely to affect most neighboring homeowners.
The Plan Commission unanimously approved on Dec. 2 a zoning-text change to adopt FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) language into the city's zoning code and also approved the companion zoning-map amendment adopting updated FIRM maps effective Feb. 20, 2026.
Jim (city planning staff) summarized the change as an adoption of standard statewide FIRM wording with minor adjustments to address flood and wetland districts along the Milwaukee River and its tributaries. "That's the FEMA information; it's the flood regulations from the federal government for floodplain and for floodway," he said.
Commissioners asked who would notify affected homeowners about potential new flood-insurance requirements. Staff said the minor changes should not affect most neighboring houses and noted notification is typically tied to mortgage-lending processes and zoning records, not an automatic city mailing in every case.
Next steps: The commission closed the public hearings, voted to adopt the text and maps, and the zoning updates will take effect per the adopted effective date. Any homeowners concerned about flood-insurance requirements were advised to consult their mortgage lender and the city's planning department for parcel-specific determinations.
