The Needham Planning Board voted unanimously on March 27 to forward two zoning bylaw amendments that update the town’s Floodplain District to reflect revised Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps and related National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements.

The amendments — Article 1, which updates the mapped floodplain line, and Article 2, which amends the Floodplain District bylaw language — were submitted to the Warrant Committee for insertion in the May Special Town Meeting warrant, and the Planning Board recommended both articles for adoption.

Board Chair Natasha Spada opened the public hearing and asked staff to explain the proposals. Planning staff member Lee Newman told the board the federal maps were last updated in 2012 and that the newly issued FEMA maps reflect newer data. Newman said the changes are required so that eligible residents can continue to obtain flood insurance and so the town’s regulations align with NFIP obligations. "The federal government has updated the FEMA maps," Newman said. "...we're required to actually make some changes or review our zoning by law to ensure that it has the regulations in place that FEMA is now requiring that all Massachusetts towns adopt."

Town Engineer Tom Ryder reviewed the technical changes shown on the maps and told the board the updates are generally modest. "It's designated as 1% chance of flooding in a given year," Ryder said, describing the mapping basis commonly called the 100-year flood. He said most elevations changed by only a few inches; added areas are concentrated near I‑128 and in limited sections along the Charles River and in parts of the West Side of town.

Substantive bylaw changes described by staff include: updating the mapped floodplain boundary to match FEMA’s new data; inserting federally defined terms into the zoning definitions; designating a community floodplain administrator (the town engineer was proposed for that role); revising special-permit provisions so that new construction in the floodplain is reviewed under the bylaw; establishing floodway-encroachment standards where a regulatory floodway is not designated; and adopting elevation and anchorage standards for recreational vehicles. Newman also said the bylaw will require the town to verify that applicants have obtained any required state or federal permits and to provide FEMA with any changes in floodway data within six months.

Planning staff said the draft bylaw was sent to the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) for review; DCR recommended specific technical edits, including a map reference update and inclusion of AE and A11 zone references. Staff incorporated those state edits and reported the state indicated the bylaw as revised should be deemed compliant.

No members of the public spoke during the hearing. The board closed the public hearing by motion and then voted to send Article 1, as drafted with the DCR-recommended edits, to the Warrant Committee for insertion in the May Special Town Meeting warrant. The board took the same action for Article 2 and then voted to recommend adoption of both articles at Town Meeting. All votes on the motions were approved unanimously.

The amendments will next be reviewed by the Warrant Committee and, if placed on the warrant, will go to voters at the May Special Town Meeting. The planning office will continue coordinating with DCR and FEMA as the articles proceed through the town process.