Des Moines County approves second reading of Floodplain Ordinance No. 25; related resolution delayed

The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors approved the second reading of Floodplain Ordinance No. 25 during its April 14, 2026 meeting, with board members voting in favor of advancing the measure.

The ordinance references updated flood maps that take effect on May 26. Jared Lassiter, land use/regional planning, told the board that a resolution intended to set that effective date had been posted early. "The effective date of the maps ... is on May 26," Lassiter said, and the board agreed to move the related resolution to next week to match that schedule.

A motion to approve the second reading was made and seconded; board members called their votes and the motion carried. The action advances the ordinance toward final adoption under the county's ordinance schedule. Board members did not present substantive amendments during the second-reading discussion.

Why it matters: Updated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or county flood maps can change where building and development rules apply, affecting property owners, insurers and future permitting in mapped floodplain areas. By aligning the ordinance and its effective date with the maps, county staff aim to avoid a mismatch between the regulation text and the official map effective date.

What happens next: The board moved the separately posted resolution on the ordinance's effective date to the next meeting; staff indicated the ordinance will take effect in coordination with the May 26 map date. Any affected property owners and applicants should track the county's published ordinance and map materials in the auditor's or planning office files.