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The Environmental Policy Board reviewed this information at their September meeting and have recommended <br />that the City Council adopt an Ordinance Amendment, including, by reference, the updated FIRMs and FIS, to <br />ensure that the City remains a participant in the NFIP and that flood insurance remains available to property owners <br />or prospective property owners in the community. <br />Alternatives <br />Alternative #1: Recommend the City Council adopt Ord. #15-15 amending Section 117-1 (Definitions) and Chapter <br />117, Article II, Division 4, Subdivision III (Floodplain Overlay Districts). The Amendment includes a majority of <br />the existing regulations in an updated format. In addition, the Amendment includes FEMA mandated language that <br />was not included in the City's original adopted ordinance Staff and the Environmental Policy Board support this <br />option. <br />Alternavite #2: Recommend the City Council adopt a revised Ordinance #15-15 amending Section 117-1 <br />(Definitions) and Chapter 117, Article II, Division 4, Subdivision III (Floodplain Overlay Districts). There are a <br />number of optional definitions and provisions that have either been included or excluded from the proposed <br />Ordinance Amendment. The Planning Commission may desire to make revisions to the draft Ordinance <br />Amendment to add or remove one or more of this optional components. Staff would not object to this option as <br />long as it would not delay the Ordinance Amendment from moving forward for City Council consideration (to <br />ensure that there is an adopted ordinance no later than December 16, 2015). <br />Alternative #3: Recommend that City Council not adopt Ordinance #15-15. This would result in the City being <br />suspended from the NFIP, which does have some significant impacts to property owners and the City. As noted <br />previously, this would result in flood insurance not being available for anyone in the community. Thus, federally <br />backed loans would no longer be available for property owners that have structures within the floodplain districts. <br />This would make selling/buying a home in the community, or even refinancing, very challenging. Finally, the City <br />would lose its eligibility for federal disaster relief. Due to these outcomes, Staff, nor the Environmental Policy <br />Board, support this option. <br />Funding Source: <br />This case is being handled as part of Staffs normal duties. <br />Recommendation: <br />Staff recommends adoption of Ordinance #15-15 to amend Section 117-1 (Definitions) and Chapter 117, Article II, <br />Division 4, Subdivision III (Floodplain Overlay Districts) to incorporate by reference the updated Flood Insurance <br />Rate Maps and the Flood Insurance Study, both dated December 16, 2015. <br />Action: <br />Motion to recommend that City Council adopt Ordinance #15-15 amending Section 117-1 (Definitions) and <br />Chapter 117, Article II, Division 4, Subdivision III (Floodplain Overlay Districts) to incorporate by reference the <br />updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps and the Flood Insurance Study, both dated December 16, 2015. <br />Attachments <br />June 16, 2015 Letter of Final Determination from FEMA <br />July 9, 2015 Correspondence from MN DNR <br />DNR Model Ordinance with Commentary <br />Summary of Optional Provisions <br />Draft EPB Meeting Minutes Dated Sept. 21, 2015 <br />DNR Fact Sheet on Floodplains <br />Draft Ordinance #15-15 <br />