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Owen County adopts updated floodplain ordinance to meet state and FEMA standards
Summary
Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance No. 004, updating the county’s flood damage prevention rules to align with state and FEMA requirements and to preserve county flood-hazard insurance eligibility.
The Owen County Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance No. 004, revising the county’s flood damage prevention code to meet current state Department of Natural Resources and FEMA standards.
Explanation and statutory need: Planning staff and the county attorney reported the county’s existing floodplain regulations were out of date and that updating the ordinance was necessary to retain flood hazard insurance and comply with state requirements. Planning staff said they worked with DNR to ensure the revised ordinance meets state standards and retained several protections that exceed minimum state requirements.
Board action: After review and confirmation by the county attorney and planning staff that DNR was comfortable with the revised text, a commissioner moved to adopt Ordinance No. 004 concerning flood damage prevention; the motion was seconded and passed.
What changes: The ordinance update brings the county’s regulatory language into alignment with state model code and clarifies technical standards for floodplain development permits, although the meeting discussion did not enumerate each textual change. Planning staff flagged that a few county provisions that provided additional protection were retained.
Next steps: The adopted ordinance will be incorporated into county code and staff will work with DNR and FEMA as needed to ensure continued eligibility for flood insurance and grants.
