Florence City Code Title 4 Chapter 4 Flood Damage Prevention Code Update

This proposal would adopt amendments to Florence City Code Title 4 Chapter 4 Flood Damage Prevention to comply with measures required by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  The proposed code and ordinance are available at the bottom of this page.

Overview:

Amendments include changes prompted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requiring the City to adopt code (termed "Model Code"), for land in the Special Flood Hazard Area in order to comply with the Endangered Species Act. The code amendments are directed by FEMA to protect habitat and achieve no net loss measures that will avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts in the floodplain areas. The goal for floodplain development in Florence is to achieve “no net loss” to beneficial floodplain functions which would look like no net increase in fill, no net increase in impervious surfaces, and no net loss of trees. The amendments are necessary for property owners in the City to continue to obtain discounted flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program.    More information on FEMA's Pre-Implementation Compliance Measures (PICM) is available here: https://www.ci.florence.or.us/planning/fema-pre-implementation-compliance-measure-picm 

Below is information on the public outreach and hearings processes held to date.

Public Outreach

Special Meeting:  The Florence City Council held a Special Council Meeting on May 20th at 5:30 P.M. at the Florence Events Center (715 Quince St.).   City staff and city legal counsel  presented the background on the topic and provided an overview of the proposal with a detail on the new code criteria proposed.   This was not a public hearing, rather an opportunity to learn and ask questions about the proposal and how it affected properties. 

Public Hearings:

Planning Commission held a public hearing on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 5:30 P.M. in Florence City Hall (250 Highway 101), to hear and consider a recommendation to City Council for adoption of amendments proposed in Resolution PC 25 08 TA 02 to the Florence City Code Title 4 Chapter 4 Flood Damage Prevention. The proposal is subject to the Florence City Code Title 10 Chapter 1, Section 1-6-, Type IV Reviews (Legislative).  Planning Commission’s recommendation was provided at the second required public hearing held before the Florence City Council.

City Council opened their public hearing on Monday, July 21st 5:30 P.M.in Florence City Hall (250 Highway 101) and continued the hearing to September 15, 2025 at 5:30.  The continuance was made in hopes that litigation between FEMA and Oregonians for Floodplain Protection would have concluded and any anticipated changes to the model code would be available.

Anyone wishing to submit testimony verbally or in writing may learn how to do so at this link: https://www.ci.florence.or.us/council/request-address-city-council-speakers-card. 

The proposed code and ordinance are available at the bottom of this page.