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Buncombe County planning board advances life‑safety flood‑ordinance text amendments to public meeting
Summary
The Buncombe County Planning Board on Feb. 16 reviewed phase‑one text amendments to the county flood damage prevention ordinance that would tighten floodway rules, add definitions (conveyance shadow, repetitive loss, LOMC), require emergency action plans for all temporary structures, and prohibit new travel‑trailer encroachment; staff will bring a public meeting in March and the package to commissioners in April.
The Buncombe County Planning Board reviewed proposed phase‑one, life‑safety changes to the county’s flood damage prevention ordinance on Feb. 16 as staff sought permission to advance the draft to a public meeting in March and to the Board of Commissioners in April. Angela Lee, Buncombe County’s floodplain administrator, led the presentation of ZPH‑2025‑00042 and said the changes aim to reduce development and floatable hazards in the floodway.
"These standards are intended to expand the definition section, reduce construction in the floodway, and reduce temporary structures in the floodway," Lee said, summarizing the package. The board voted by voice to advance the draft so staff can publish formal text and hold a public hearing next month.
Why it matters: staff and board members said storms including Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Fred produced large debris and floatables that damaged downstream property and sometimes blocked bridges. The proposed edits are designed to protect conveyance (the channel and adjacent lands reserved to pass base‑flood discharge), close allowances that have permitted small additions in a…
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