Ordinance No. 2021-3-1: To add Section 16-160, Purpose, of Division 1, Generally, of Article VIII, Flood Damage Prevention, and amend Section 16-175, General Standards, and Subsection 4 of  Section 16-176, Specific Standards, of Division 3, Flood Hazard Reduction, of  Article VIII, Flood Damage Prevention, of Chapter 16, Planning and Development, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Plano, Texas to add the purposes of the regulation and  increase the minimum elevation above the base flood elevation for construction or substantial improvement to two feet above the base flood elevation, including for manufactured homes in certain zones; and providing a penalty clause, a repealer clause, a severability clause, a savings clause, a publication clause, and an effective date. Adopted

The City of Plano participates in the Community Rating System (CRS) program which is a subset of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is a voluntary incentive program, which recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities which exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. Property owners in communities that participate in the CRS program receive discounts on their flood insurance premiums based on a sliding scale point system where credit points are awarded for the additional floodplain management activities implemented by the community.

Due to CRS criteria amendments, that went into effect on January 1, 2021, the current City of Plano Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance needs to be updated. The revision to the ordinance pertains to freeboard (placing components at a level higher than the flood level) requirements for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing equipment, and mobile homes. The impact to property owners will be minimal.

This item may impact revenue collected from fines in accordance with Section 1-4(b) of the City Code of Ordinances; however, the exact change in revenue is indeterminable and will have minimal impact on the General Fund budget.

Approval of this revision to the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance supports the City's Strategic Plan Critical Success Factor of Safe, Vibrant Neighborhoods.