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Commission backs floodplain rule change to shorten substantial-improvement look-back to one year
Summary
The commission recommended approval of a text amendment (TC-26-0002) to eliminate the 10-year cumulative look-back for floodplain substantial-improvement calculations and adopt an annual look-back to encourage property investment and align with state/model codes.
The Papillion Planning Commission voted 6-0 March 25 to recommend a text amendment to the floodplain ordinance (TC-26-0002) that would eliminate the current 10-year cumulative look-back for substantial improvements and use an annual (one-year) tracking window instead.
Staff (speaker 6) explained that the current 10-year cumulative look-back has been in place in Papillion for about 20 years and can force older buildings to face costly upgrades or remain vacant. Staff said the model code and other communities use a one-year look-back, and the proposal retains federal NFIP-required substantial-improvement definitions while removing the 10-year cumulative calculation: "what we've done is that requested that the 10 year look back period, that cumulative cost be eliminated." Commissioners discussed the downtown footprint of floodplain areas and FEMA FIRM maps; staff noted the city still uses 2005 FIRM maps while FEMA’s preliminary revised maps were issued in 2022 and are pending finalization.
Commissioner (speaker 7) moved to recommend approval, citing consistency with state statute; the clerk announced a 6-0 vote. The recommendation goes to City Council for ordinance adoption.
