Floodplain Development Regulations Update - What & Why
What’s Happening Now?
SDCI extended the interim floodplain development regulations a fifth time for an additional 6 months. The interim regulations are now due to expire in February 2024. The proposed permanent floodplain regulations were appealed in July 2021 by the Port of Seattle. Since then, we have been working with the Port to resolve issues related to the appeal. Additionally, SDCI withdrew our July 2021 SEPA Decision, and we will be publishing a new SEPA decision in 2024.
The adopted interim floodplain development regulations are included on the Project Documents page.
Project Benefits
Our Floodplain Development Regulations protect people, property, and the environment by regulating the development that occurs in the mapped floodplain and flood prone areas. The new permanent regulations will adopt FEMA's 2019 new Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Insurance Study and will continue to regulate flood prone areas mapped by Seattle Public Utilities. Development regulations vary depending on the specific flood zone designations, characteristics of the property, and the nature of the development including first floor elevation. Below is a list of development regulations:
- The elevation that the first floor of a new structure must be built at to keep the first story above anticipated flood levels
- Structures must be engineered to withstand wind from anticipated storms
- Structures must be engineered to withstand flood waters should anticipated flood levels be exceeded
The End Result
The permanent Floodplain Development Regulations will meet FEMA's 2019 requirements.