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Seneca council narrows draft flood-plain ordinance, sets public-hearing schedule ahead of March deadline
Summary
Council reviewed a draft flood-plain ordinance, agreed to adopt most optional higher standards (excluding an historic-structure exception), set penalties to match the existing zoning code, and planned two public hearings to meet a March 23 deadline.
The City of Seneca held a work session on a draft flood-plain ordinance and directed staff on specific drafting choices and the adoption schedule. Councilor Northington said the maps show little of the city is affected and recommended adopting optional higher standards from Grant County's ordinance while excluding the historic-structure rehabilitation language in Section 4.4.1.
Manager Amanda Born noted local differences: Seneca has no planning commission (the council acts in that role) and the draft penalties differ from the current zoning code. The council agreed to set violation penalties under Section 3.4.2 to match Seneca’s zoning code ($500 for noncontinuing offenses; $1,000 for continuing offenses) and to add select optional language from staff notes. Born said the plan is for a first public hearing at next month’s regular meeting and a second public hearing one to two weeks afterward so the council can adopt the ordinance before the March 23 deadline; the council may declare an emergency if needed to make the ordinance effective immediately.
Councilor Foster asked about raising minimum elevation standards; Northington said increasing the required elevation (from base flood elevation by 1–3 feet) would provide more protection. The council agreed to proceed with the targeted drafting and hearings schedule.
