The City encourages new land division proposal to reserve high risk flood hazard areas as  open space.  Land divisions that place new lots, structures or other improvements in a high risk floodplain are required to identify and mitigate adverse impacts to existing and anticipated new development as a condition of floodplain development approval.  Adverse impacts can be associated with any of the following:

  • Increased flood water elevations
  • Increased flood velocity
  • Expanded flood hazard boundaries
  • "Harm" or "Take" of Endangered Species

Since changes to flood hazards may impact other properties’ development and insurance requirements, land divisions in the special flood hazard area utilize Type III procedures requiring landowner notification within 100-feet of the project perimeter and a public hearing prior to the Planning Commission’s decision to approve, approve with conditions or deny the proposal.   

Application Requirements

Floodplain development and land division applications may be processed concurrently.  To do so, the application must include the following supporting documents in addition to those required for the land division submittal:

  • Floodplain Development Application Form
  • Identification of adverse impacts and proposed mitigation;
  • FEMA Conditional Letter of Map Revision stating that the proposal is consistent with the NFIP and Federal mapping guidelines;
  • Endangered Species Habitat Assessment and Federal agency approval (processed by FEMA as part of the CLOMR application).

Based on our experience, this can be a time consuming process.  We recommend that you consider the following actions to produce the best possible application and reduce delays in the review process:

  1. Address floodplain impacts any needed mitigation actions early on in your site planning process.
  2. Utilize professional, experienced professionals in:
    • Hydraulic engineering & FEMA flood studies and mapping – to prepare grading plans, encroachment analyses, mapping and CLOMR submittal packet.
    • Fisheries and wetland biology – to evaluate existing site conditions and the proposals impacts on threatened or endangered species and their critical habitat.  Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Salmon and their critical habitat on Jackson and Griffin Creeks are the primary concern in Central Point at this time.
  3. ​Be prepared to respond to requests for additional information from FEMA and/or the National Marine Fisheries Service.  
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