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Wasco County continues hearing on FEMA floodplain/ESA ordinance until March 4, 2026
Summary
Planning Director Daniel Dougherty asked for more time to assess FEMA's final EIS options; the board agreed to continue the legislative amendment hearing on flood hazard development regulations to March 4, 2026 to allow staff to evaluate FEMA's final environmental impact statement and implications for local ordinance pathways.
At 9:38 a.m. the Wasco County Board of Commissioners reopened a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Land Use and Development Ordinance tied to FEMA preliminary implementation requirements and the draft FEMA Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Planning Director Daniel Dougherty told commissioners the draft EIS outlines three alternatives — from no change to strict 'no‑net‑loss' requirements that could require local governments to adopt model ordinances, permit‑by‑permit reviews, or hybrid approaches. Wasco County’s staff submitted official comments supporting Alternative 1 (no change to the existing physical hazards overlay focused on flood protection without adding ESA rules) and requested additional time to analyze FEMA's final EIS and pending litigation that could affect the county's options.
The board voted unanimously to continue the hearing to March 4, 2026 so staff can incorporate FEMA’s final EIS and coordinate required next steps with state agencies as needed. Planning Director Dougherty said, if FEMA issues a final EIS, jurisdictions will have roughly eight months to select local implementation pathways with the Department of Land Conservation and Development and FEMA.
