TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Andrew Miller, Town Attorney
DATE: May 28, 2020
CONTACT:
Staff Contact Andrew Miller, 480-348-3691
Paul Mood, 480-348-3573
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AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Discussion of Draft Ordinance No. 2020-07, amending Chapter 5, Building and Construction, Article 5-11, Floodplain Administration of the Town Code
Body
Background
BACKGROUND:
On March 18, 2020 the Town received notice from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that the current Town floodplain ordinance, Town Code Article 5-11, would be subject to an audit by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). FEMA has tasked ADWR to conduct the audit based on the latest federal and state floodplain regulation requirements. Failure to make changes that comport with the floodplain management regulations deemed necessary by FEMA would result in the Town being suspended from participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. The Town has a deadline of September 18, 2020 to make changes to its Floodplain Regulations so that they are in concert with the latest model ordinance provisions from FEMA and ADWR. The last time the Town had to make similar amendments to its floodplain ordinance was in September 2005.
The Town has worked closely with ADWR floodplain specialists to update the Floodplain Regulations in Article 5-11. ADWR has reviewed draft amendments to the current Town Floodplain Regulations with Town staff in an effort to make modifications that will bring the Town's regulations into compliance with the latest state "model ordinance for non-Colorado River communities" (Model Ordinance). After exchanging a series of drafts the Town has recently received approval from ADWR to move forward with the process of adopting an ordinance that incorporates the required revisions to the current Town Floodplain Regulations.
The draft ordinance attached hereto, Ordinance No. 2020-07, includes four new sections that now coincide with the Model Ordinan...
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