Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Floodplain Overlay topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bastrop proposes stronger floodplain overlay, credits to preserve developable yield
Summary
Staff proposed a special flood hazard overlay that would require floodplain areas in new subdivisions to be preserved as open space or drainage easements while offering density/cluster bonuses to keep developers' yield; staff said the move could help the city pursue FEMA CRS recognition.
Staff presented a new flood hazard map and recommended a special flood hazard overlay that would restrict development in mapped 100‑year flood zones and require new subdivisions to dedicate floodplain areas as open space or drainage easements. The overlay would allow density or clustering bonuses so a developer could preserve floodplain without losing the overall number of lots.
"This puts a little bit more substance to the codes," said a staff presenter, and later noted the city is "not a CRS community at this point in time," linking the overlay to a potential improvement in FEMA Community Rating System status and flood‑insurance discounts. Staff described mechanisms to limit pad filling and LOMA/LOMAR manipulations by requiring setbacks from mapped boundaries and preserving drainage storage rather than permitting extensive fill.
Council discussed practical constraints (base flood elevation, elevation certificates, and whether developers will still pursue LOMAs), and staff said the overlay would reinforce land‑use restrictions distinct from building code elevation requirements. The council asked staff to incorporate these protections into the draft code text and to return with clear, enforceable language for subdivisions and PDDs.
