Floodplain Code Changes

Johnson Creek Flooding

Changes are coming soon to the city's rules for development in the floodplain. Although the changes are not anticipated to be significant, they may have some impact on activities in the floodplain. Use this page to learn more, and if you have further questions, please use the Questions tool below to submit them. Here is some background information to get started and updates on the process.

Planning Commission Hearing - Tuesday, January 14, 2025 (6:30 PM)

  • Join the webinar on Zoom.

Community Information Meeting - Thursday, December 5, 2024 (6 - 7:30 PM)

  • To further explain the changes and answer questions, city staff hosted a public information meeting at City Hall (10501 SE Main St.) in the 1st Floor Community Room. The meeting was held in-person, but attendees could also attend on Zoom.

Background information:

Milwaukie Municipal Code (MMC) Title 18 establishes regulations intended to reduce future flood damage to properties in the floodplain, which allows the city to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP provides floodplain property owners the opportunity to purchase federally subsidized flood insurance policies and is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As a result of a lawsuit against FEMA for its failure to ensure that NFIP activities do not affect threatened or endangered species protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the agency has been tasked with ensuring that NFIP communities adopt measures that meet a standard of “no net loss” for three habitat functions essential to the survival of ESA-listed species: flood storage, water quality, and riparian vegetation.

A final plan for NFIP-ESA integration is still in process. In the interim, FEMA has outlined three options for compliance:

  1. Prohibit all new development within the regulatory floodplain.

  1. Adopt a model ordinance developed to incorporate the “no net loss” principle into existing flood hazard regulations.

  1. Require applicants for development in the floodplain to conduct a habitat assessment documenting that the project will achieve no net loss.

Communities are required to inform FEMA by December 1, 2024, of which interim option they are choosing. At a work session with City Council on November 19, 2024 (click the link to access the packet materials and meeting video), staff recommended Option 2 (model ordinance) and Council agreed. Staff will bring amendments for adoption in early February 2025.

Find more information in the Important Links and Important Documents sections.

Changes are coming soon to the city's rules for development in the floodplain. Although the changes are not anticipated to be significant, they may have some impact on activities in the floodplain. Use this page to learn more, and if you have further questions, please use the Questions tool below to submit them. Here is some background information to get started and updates on the process.

Planning Commission Hearing - Tuesday, January 14, 2025 (6:30 PM)

  • Join the webinar on Zoom.

Community Information Meeting - Thursday, December 5, 2024 (6 - 7:30 PM)

  • To further explain the changes and answer questions, city staff hosted a public information meeting at City Hall (10501 SE Main St.) in the 1st Floor Community Room. The meeting was held in-person, but attendees could also attend on Zoom.

Background information:

Milwaukie Municipal Code (MMC) Title 18 establishes regulations intended to reduce future flood damage to properties in the floodplain, which allows the city to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP provides floodplain property owners the opportunity to purchase federally subsidized flood insurance policies and is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As a result of a lawsuit against FEMA for its failure to ensure that NFIP activities do not affect threatened or endangered species protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the agency has been tasked with ensuring that NFIP communities adopt measures that meet a standard of “no net loss” for three habitat functions essential to the survival of ESA-listed species: flood storage, water quality, and riparian vegetation.

A final plan for NFIP-ESA integration is still in process. In the interim, FEMA has outlined three options for compliance:

  1. Prohibit all new development within the regulatory floodplain.

  1. Adopt a model ordinance developed to incorporate the “no net loss” principle into existing flood hazard regulations.

  1. Require applicants for development in the floodplain to conduct a habitat assessment documenting that the project will achieve no net loss.

Communities are required to inform FEMA by December 1, 2024, of which interim option they are choosing. At a work session with City Council on November 19, 2024 (click the link to access the packet materials and meeting video), staff recommended Option 2 (model ordinance) and Council agreed. Staff will bring amendments for adoption in early February 2025.

Find more information in the Important Links and Important Documents sections.

Have questions about the upcoming changes to the floodplain code? Submit them here and staff will answer.

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  • Can you share a map of the floodplain in Milwaukie?

    12106SE asked 16 days ago

    Hello, 

    You can find an interactive map on the city website on Milwaukie Maps at https://milwaukie.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html. Just go to the map tool called Hazard (Flood Hazard Map). A link to the map is also available under Important Links. 

    If you have trouble accessing the map, please let us know and we will find another way to share it with you. 

    Thanks! 

    Team Engage Milwaukie

Page last updated: 19 Dec 2024, 12:06 PM