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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY CONBUSSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: July 27, 2020 <br />TOPIC: Ordinance Changes Required to Remain in Compliance with State and Federal <br />Requirements <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direction to staff regarding Kittitas County's ability to <br />update Kittitas County Code 14.08 within next 6 months. <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Arden Thomas <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Recommend to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that they do not <br />further delay issuance of a Letter of Final Determination for Flood Insurance Rate Map <br />Updates. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• Kittitas County is a participating community in that National Flood Insurance <br />Program. Participating in the National Flood Hazard Program provides benefits to <br />County residents, particularly the ability to take out a Federally backed mortgage <br />and receive disaster assistance. <br />• To participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, Kittitas County must <br />have a floodplain management ordinance that meets minimum Federal and state <br />criteria and must adopt and utilize floodplain hazard maps provided by FEMA. <br />• During the July 13 Study Session, staff briefed the Board about FEMA's public <br />review and comment process for the updated maps. At this time, staff proposed to <br />brief the Board about necessary ordinance changes. <br />• Staff from FEMA and the Department of Ecology have reviewed our ordinance <br />and provided comments. Kittitas County staff has inventoried these comments. <br />Out of the 32 changes identified, 23 are required changes and 8 of the required <br />changes are characterized as substantive changes which would change floodplain <br />development requirements and procedures. <br />• FEMA was scheduled to provide. a Letter of Final Determination on April 15, <br />2020 but delayed due to Coronovirus concerns. Once Kittitas County receives the <br />letter of Final Determination, we will need to update KCC 14.08 within 6 months. <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY CONMHSSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />