The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 Wednesday to advance a change that officials say will help make flood insurance more affordable for certain residents.
Supervisors heard the proposed ordinance Wednesday as part of a first reading. A second reading, set for Oct. 9, is needed for formal approval of the change, which would affect those in in unincorporated areas of the county.
According to the county Land Use and Environment Group, an updated Flood Prevention Ordinance is needed to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency requirements, increase credits the county earns to lower flood insurance costs in unincorporated regions, while also streamlining review for some development projects.
The timing of the ordinance, officials said, “is not specific to the Jan. 22 historic storm but aids the county’s preparedness in dealing with flooding events in the future.”
Flooding in January badly damaged several San Diego neighborhoods. It was most widespread in a line from Coronado through densely populated areas of the city and east to Spring Valley and unincorporated La Mesa and El Cajon.
Supervisors first adopted the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance in 1988. Along with restricting or prohibiting uses that threaten health, safety or property caused by flooding, the ordinance “controls the alteration of natural floodplains and stream channels, which help contain floodwaters.”
Ordinance rules apply to new development and redevelopment within the floodplain.
Before voting, Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe said that anything county government can do to lower flood insurance must be promoted, “because the impacts on our climate will continue.”
She added that “having a flood plain administrator maintain records is really, really important,” and said unincorporated areas were impacted much less during the devastating floods earlier this year because of previous county efforts.
Her colleague Jim Desmond said he was glad the updated ordinance would not impede new housing development. Dahvia Lynch, deputy chief administrative officer for the Land Use and Environment Group, said the county worked closely with building industry representatives on the update.
The vote was 4-0 because board Chairwoman Nora Vargas was absent Wednesday.
