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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: September 4, 2018 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-m <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Amendment Outline Form for Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text <br />Amendments – Update of Effective Date of Flood Information Rate Maps <br />(FIRM) <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1. UDO Amendment Outline Form <br />2. Draft UDO Amendment(s) <br />Michael D. Harvey, Planner III, (919) 245-2597 <br />Craig Benedict, Director, (919) 245-2575 <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To consider and approve process components and schedule for proposed <br />amendments to the Orange County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) updating the <br />effective date for the County’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM). <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: Orange County has been a member of the National Flood Insurance Program <br />(NFIP) since approximately 1976. The NFIP offers flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and <br />business owners if their community participates in the program through the adoption and <br />enforcement of regulations designed to mitigate/reduce flood risk. This includes adoption of <br />flood maps denoting areas where flooding is a possibility, specifically FIRM developed and <br />maintained by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). <br /> <br />Staff was recently informed by State FEMA officials there is going to be a FIRM update, <br />specifically a modification of floodplain data on several FIRMs impacting property in Durham <br />County. While this update will not result in a change in identified flood data within Orange <br />County, the data on the shared FIRMS is being changed. As a result, Orange County must <br />modify existing regulation(s) to reflect the new FIRM effective date of October 19, 2018. <br /> <br />This amendment needs to be adopted by October 19, 2018 in order for Orange County to still <br />eligible for participation within the NFIP. A copy of the recommended language is contained <br />within Attachment 2. <br /> <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: Consideration and approval will not create the need for additional funding <br />for the provision of County services. Costs for the required legal advertisement for the text <br />amendment will be paid from FY2018-19 Departmental funds budgeted for this purpose. <br />Existing Planning staff included in the Departmental staffing budget will accomplish the work <br />required to process these amendments. <br /> <br />SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to <br />this item: <br />1