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Billings County adopts floodplain management ordinance to meet state deadline
Summary
County staff presented updated floodplain rules based on the state's model ordinance and commissioners voted to adopt the ordinance; staff will submit the adopted ordinance to the state for final approval.
Billings County commissioners adopted an updated floodplain management ordinance after a staff presentation explaining the county must align with new state requirements tied to recent legislation. Staff said the draft was reviewed by the county zoning board and later by the state water resources commission and FEMA, which returned the draft with no comments.
Staff emphasized that much of rural Billings County is unmapped by FEMA and that the county will rely on the state's model ordinance and available mapping tools (soil maps, state risk assessments) for preliminary evaluations. "Local knowledge always comes first and foremost," the staff member said, describing how historical local conditions are considered alongside risk maps. After the public-hearing opportunity (no public speakers), a motion to adopt the floodplain management ordinance was made, seconded, and commissioners voted in favor; staff will forward the adopted ordinance to the state for final clearance.
