Tumwater Planning Commission works on floodplain overlay amendments to meet federal standards

The Tumwater Planning Commission held a work session yesterday to review the city’s Floodplain Overlay Amendments following federal standards and ensure appropriate insurance coverage to residents.

Almost 300 towns, cities, counties, and tribes are participating in the Federal Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Tumwater must enforce its floodplain management regulations (TMC 18.38 FP Floodplain Overlay) to make FEMA’s federally backed flood insurance available to its residents.

“In May of 2023, city staff completed a Floodplain Community Assistance Visit, also known as a CAV, with the State Department of Ecology to review the city's participation in the NFIP,” said Land Use and Housing Planner Erika Smith-Erickson.

“The CAV determines that Tumwater’s Municipal Code 18.38, the floodplain overlay, should be updated to reflect current federal standards,” Smith-Erickson added.

Last November, FEMA notified Thurston County and its incorporated areas, including Tumwater, of its final flood determinations.

Before the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report and Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) covering Tumwater take effect on May 8, the city must amend current floodplain regulations to align with NFIP’s Modern Ordinance for Floodplain Management, Endangered Species Act and maintain its NFIP eligibility.

“Basically, we need to bring our ordinance up to standard before the maps and flood insurance study become effective and maintain our eligibility in the NFIP,” Smith-Erickson explained.

The code will have 15 amended sections:

1. TMC 18.38.017- Definitions
2. 38.090 – Special flood hazard areas
3. TMC 18.38.100 – Flood hazard data
4. TMC 18.38.130 – Floodplain development permit required
5. TMC 18.38.140 – Floodplain development permit application
6. TMC 18.38.170 – Duties of the Floodplain Administrator
7. TMC 18.38.180 – Records
8. TMC 18.38.210 – Development and subdivisions
9. TMC 18.38.184 – Flood protection standards
10. TMC 18.38.270- Nonresidential construction
11. TMC 18.38.280- Manufactured homes
12. TMC 18.38.285- Detached accessory structures
13. TMC 18.38.325- Storage of materials and equipment
14. TMC 18.38.360 – Floodway standards
15. TMC 18.38.450- Penalties for noncompliance

Early this year, Thurston County released flood watches to prepare the residents for possible floods. There were also reports of Tumwater and other cities being flooded.

The commission had scheduled a public hearing on February 13 for the amendments.