AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Consider approval of Ordinance 2025-25, amending Chapter 39 of the San Marcos City Code, Article 2, Division 3, Standards for Flood Hazard Reduction, Section 39.043, Specific Standards for AE, AH, and AO Zones, and Section 39.044, Additional Provisions for Manufactured Homes and Recreational Vehicles, primarily to remove or replace AH Flood Zone references to coincide with the adopted Flood Insurance Rate Maps and to change the allowable increase in flood elevation for improvements; providing for the repeal of conflicting provisions; providing a savings clause; and declaring an effective date; and consider approval of Ordinance 2025-25 on the first of two readings.
Body
Meeting date: August 5, 2025
Department: Engineering and Capital Improvements
Amount & Source of Funding
Funds Required: NA
Account Number: NA
Funds Available: NA
Account Name: NA
Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: Click or tap here to enter text.
City Council Strategic Initiative: [Please select from the dropdown menu below]
Environmental Protection
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Comprehensive Plan Element (s): [Please select the Plan element(s) and Goal # from dropdown menu below]
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☒ Environment & Resource Protection - Population Prepared for and resilient to Man-Made & Natural Disasters
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☐ Neighborhoods & Housing - Protected Neighborhoods in order to maintain high quality of life and stable property values
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☒ Core Services
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Master Plan: [Please select the corresponding Master Plan from the dropdown menu below (if applicable)]
Flood Protection Master Plan
Background Information:
The flood insurance rate maps adopted early this year removed the AH Flood Zone from designated areas within the City limits and now refers to them as an AO Flood Zone. This ordinance amendment replaces any AH references to AO to coincide with the adopted flood insurance rate maps.
An “A” Flood Zone is considered to be the area where there is a one percent annual chance of flooding during a storm event. An “AH” Flood Zone has a similar chance of flooding but is considered an area of Shallow Flooding. An “AO” Flood Zone still has the one percent chance of flooding but is considered an area of Shallow Flooding, Sheet Flow or Ponding.
One additional change to the ordinance is amending the allowable increase in flood elevation for improvements by a property owner from six inches to one foot. This is only allowed where the property owner owns the land where the increase occurs. This change does not allow proposed improvements to change the flood elevation as it leaves the property owners property.
This ordinance will be brought back for the second reading to Council on September 2, 2025.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
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Alternatives:
Denial of these changes could affect the City’s classification in the National Flood Insurance Program and discounts received for property owners with flood insurance.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval.