County to update flood plain ordinance

Whitman County commissioners approved Monday morning a new ordinance governing development around flood plains. The previous ordinance was deemed to be out of compliance by officials within the state Department of Ecology.

Planner Alan 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.

Thomson said language for the new ordinance was taken straight from a FEMA model ordinance.

The flood p...