Second set of changes to Portland’s floodplain development went into effect Oct. 1

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A large flooding body of water digging up the ground next to a house
Learn more about these updates to comply with federal requirements.
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Last October, the Portland City Council adopted changes to the City’s building code and zoning code that apply to development within floodplains. These changes were adopted in anticipation of future changes to Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements for development in flood hazard areas.

The building code amendments were applied in two parts. The first part, contained in Exhibit A of the adopted ordinance, which took effect last March 1, sought to maintain the City’s standing in the NFIP by better aligning the City’s floodplain development code with the State of Oregon’s Model Flood Hazard Ordinance. The second part, Exhibit B, increases flood storage compensation requirements for certain flood hazard areas and took effect Oct. 1.

The significant changes adopted in Exhibit B include:

  • Flood storage “compensation” will be increased within certain areas of the FEMA 100-year floodplain. These changes require that floodwaters displaced by development must be compensated by the creation of flood storage to maintain floodplain function and improve habitat for threatened and endangered species. The volume of flood storage compensation is dependent upon the location of the development relative to the source of flooding.
  • Flood storage compensation will be required for fill and structures, including lateral additions to existing structures, that displace floodwater.

These updated obligations represent the City’s second step towards compliance with anticipated changes to the NFIP to meet requirements of the Endangered Species Act. 

Information about properties that are subject to the new flood storage compensation requirements can be found on Portland Maps. Click on the map or use the address search to find a property of interest. Scroll down below the "Public Safety" tab to the “Hazard” section to see if the property is within Title 24 Enhanced Flood Storage Area. If it is, the field will return “Yes."

Permit applications for projects in the affected areas that were submitted via Development Hub PDX by 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 30 will be vested in previous code requirements.

Applications must meet submittal requirements. Missing or incomplete application information requested by Portland Permitting & Development staff must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, to allow for intake fees to be billed. The intake fees must be paid in full by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.

For more information about permit submittal and intake fees, please contact the Permitting Services division of Portland Permitting & Development at 503-823-7300.

For more information about the Title 24.50 floodplain development changes, please contact the Site Development section of the Portland Permitting & Development at 503-823-7300. You may also schedule a free 15-minute appointment with a Site Development Engineer.

For information about the Floodplain Resilience Plan and the associated zoning code changes, please visit the project web page.


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