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Benton City Council adopts six‑month moratorium on development in floodway B
Summary
The council approved a six‑month moratorium on accepting development applications in areas mapped as the city’s floodway B zone to allow staff to coordinate with FEMA and state agencies and develop technical standards, including 'no‑rise' analyses; the resolution passed by voice vote.
Benton City — The Benton City Council on Nov. 5 approved Resolution 224d73, establishing an initial six‑month moratorium on accepting new development applications for properties located within the city’s current floodway B zone and areas in proximity to the FEMA 100‑year floodplain.
Council members said the pause will give staff time to work with FEMA and state agencies to adopt technical standards tied to updated draft flood maps. A representative relaying FEMA comments told the council that using the draft maps as the best available science and requiring hydraulic and hydrologic (H&H) ‘‘no‑rise’’ analyses for proposals is the most defensible approach and would reduce the risk that short‑term approvals undermine the accuracy of newly issued maps.
The moratorium resolution says the initial period is six months, during which the council expects staff to prepare a work plan, assess compliance requirements and develop permitting standards designed to maintain federal flood‑insurance availability for affected properties. Council members noted moratoria may be adopted in six‑month increments or for an initial year if accompanied by a work plan; staff emphasized the city could end the moratorium early if issues are resolved.
Supporters of the moratorium pointed to risks described by agency reviewers: allowing development under older flood maps may increase flood risk elsewhere, alter base flood elevations, and render draft maps inaccurate if developers build before new standards take effect. City staff said past construction has already raised water depths in parts of the community and that some areas shown on the draft maps would see an increase of several feet in depth compared with the current maps.
Council moved and approved the resolution by voice vote; the transcript records the motion as passed but does not provide an individual roll‑call tally. The resolution directs staff to return with required technical work and a timeline; the council may extend the moratorium if more time is needed or let it lapse once standards are adopted.
Votes at a glance - Resolution 224d73 (moratorium on accepting development applications in floodway B): approved by council voice vote; individual tallies not specified in the transcript. - Confirmation of city general clerk (Veronica): approved by voice vote during the meeting (see below).
