Dewey Beach Town Council will meet December 11 and discuss changing the town’s charter as it addresses flood zone regulations.
The town worked with several environmental groups that recommended a change in base flood elevation. One suggested the town add three feet to FEMA’s requirement, and town commissioners suggested adding two feet instead.
This would require people build homes at base flood elevation-plus-two, but would give them the option of an additional foot.
Dewey’s charter and code reviewing committee will see the proposed regulation changes next meeting. Committee chairman Dave Lyons – who is also the planning and zoning chairman – says he doesn’t mind the change commissioners proposed.
“There's nothing wrong with considering kind of a step approach, as opposed to a large, one-step approach,” Lyons said. “We can always come back and raise it again.”
Town manager Bill Zolper said it’s important to continue looking over local regulations because of climate change.
“Some of the things we can do to mitigate the flooding is to the property, to raise the houses up to FEMA plus two,” Zolper said.
Lyons concurred that the town needs to review its charter as time goes on.
“Climate change is real. It continues to happen, and so I think it's just a logical step to continue and evaluate as things change.”
Lyons wants to give homeowners the option of building homes an additional foot higher.
Zolper said anything that helps get properties out of the flood zone is a good thing
