County to update flood ordinance

Whitman County’s planning commission will conduct a hearing next Wednesday, Feb. 1, on changes to the county’s flood plain ordinance.

Planner Alan Thomson said the ordinance was deemed to be out of compliance by officials within the state department of ecology.

Thomson said the Federal Emergency Management Authority, or FEMA, requires certain language about the agency’s flood programs be written into county code in order for those who own homes in flood plains to receive federal disaster assistance in case of floods.

“The code has been written outside of it for a number of years, and I’m not aware that anybody’s had any problems,” he said. “But it could be important if somebody gets denied a claim.

“I don’t know if claims will be denied because of how it is currently written. But I’m not going to take that chance.”

Thomson said the changes that will be made to the ordinance are cut straight out of a FEMA model ordinance.

Representatives from ecology will be at the hearing to explain the changes. The planning commission hearing will be at 7 p.m. in the Public Service Building in Colfax.