Foley is moving forward with proposed updates to its flood-prevention regulations following heavy rains that caused street flooding but no damage to homes or other buildings earlier this month.
The Foley City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance aimed at strengthening flood-damage prevention standards. A second reading and vote on final passage are expected in November.
Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the city’s ongoing drainage improvements, including efforts by city crews to clear ditches, helped prevent property damage during recent heavy rainfall.
After Foley received the equivalent of 2 inches of rain in just 20 minutes on Oct. 4, city crews worked around the clock to clear drainage ditches and reduce flooding risks ahead of Hurricane Isaias.
“The big thing to take away from that is that the ditches are clean and at their maximum capacity,” Hellmich said. “We fixed things upstream and the houses along there are really not in jeopardy of flooding. That’s our goal, to make sure we don’t have houses that flood.”
The mayor said the proposed ordinance would also make development regulations easier to understand and help developers comply with flood elevation requirements.
“This gets us on a common-sense approach to addressing some issues that require them and helps the developers make sure they adhere to these elevations,” Hellmich said.
He added that some contractors have already expressed support for the proposed changes.
Jonathan Cottis, Foley’s chief building official and floodplain administrator, said the updated regulations would establish additional elevation requirements for development near floodways.
“We’re looking to implement a 150-foot floodway buffer,” Cottis said. “Basically, if you’re within 150 feet of the floodway, you just have to meet the elevation requirement that’s nearest to it.”
The ordinance would also allow stem walls, which are concrete or concrete block foundation walls, in areas designated as Coastal AE Flood Zones. Because the city’s adopted residential building code already allows stem walls in these areas, the change would bring the city’s flood-prevention regulations into alignment with existing building standards.
Another proposed change would rename the city’s Flood Damage Development Ordinance as the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance to align with guidelines recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The ordinance would also change the appeals process. Property owners wishing to appeal city decisions regarding flood-damage prevention would bring their appeals before the Foley Construction Board of Appeals rather than directly to the City Council.