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Land Use Committee recommends six‑month extension of interim flood‑plain rules
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Summary
The Seattle City Council Land Use Committee voted 4‑0 on Dec. 17 to recommend passage of Council Bill 121143, extending interim flood‑plain regulations for six months to allow reliance on updated FEMA flood insurance rate maps; the recommendation will be sent to the full council in January.
Seattle — Dec. 17, 2025 — The Seattle City Council Land Use Committee voted 4‑0 Wednesday to recommend passage of Council Bill 121143, a six‑month extension of interim flood‑plain regulations that allows property owners to rely on updated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood insurance rate maps when seeking federal flood insurance.
The committee, chaired by Eddie Lehi, suspended council rules to permit a same‑day vote after holding a public hearing on the bill. The legislation would extend interim regulations established by ordinance 126113 (as amended by ordinance 126536) for an additional six months while the final Flood Plains ordinance is prepared for full council consideration.
During the public hearing, an in‑person speaker identified as Steve said the extension "is actually doing the public's business" and called the measure timely during flooding season. Keto Freeman of Council Central Staff joined the meeting to answer questions from members. A committee member noted a personal‑privilege point, saying, "It is not Christmas today. It is Hanukkah today."
Chair Eddie Lehi moved that the committee recommend passage of Council Bill 121143; the motion was seconded and, after a roll call, the clerk announced the recommendation passed 4‑0. The committee's recommendation will be transmitted to the full Seattle City Council for consideration in January; the committee's action is a recommendation, not final council adoption.
No amendments were recorded during the committee meeting and no additional staff analysis or changes to the ordinance text were made on the record during the Dec. 17 session.
