White Salmon Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Update: Notice of SEPA Determination and Comment/Appeal Period (WS-SEPA-2024.004)

For City of White Salmon File #WS-SEPA-2024.004

In the supporting documents (below) is the Notice of SEPA Comment Period/Notice/Appeal Period of the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Update. Application materials are also included in the supporting documents below. 

Project location information:

SEPA Register: 202405284

County: Klickitat (Region: Central)

Address: White Salmon City Limits, Willamette Meridian, Klickitat County, Washington

Parcel Number: N/A, This is a non-project proposal.

Proposal name: White Salmon Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Update

Description of Proposal: The City is updating an ordinance repealing WSMC 15.28 – Floodplain Construction Restrictions and adopting WSMC 15.28 Flood Damage Prevention to maintain compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), keep it current with best available science and consistency with state law, as well as improve administration of this chapter. Development projects within and adjacent to the City’s mapped flood hazard areas may be proposed at any time and will be reviewed for compliance with WSMC Chapter 15.28 – Flood Damage Prevention at the time of application.

Description of Location: The updated ordinance will apply to all special flood hazard areas within the boundaries of the City of White Salmon. When base flood elevation data has not been provided (in A zones) in accordance with WSMC 15.28.030(B), the Floodplain Administrator shall obtain, review, and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state, or other source. The latest mapping within White Salmon (and greater Klickitat County) can be found here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/87d9e9e783ae43578b964f16e8e43cc6. These new maps (effective February 14, 2025) will replace the existing outdated FEMA map for Jewett Creek within city limits (see image below)

SEPA Determination of Non-significance (DNS) for City of White Salmon, Notice of SEPA Comment Period, Notice SEPA Appeal Period

Notice is hereby given that the City of White Salmon (Applicant) filed a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) checklist (#WS-SEPA-2024.004) for our Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Update.

White Salmon has developed an ordinance repealing WSMC 15.28 Floodplain Construction Restrictions and adopting WSMC 15.28 Flood Damage Prevention regulations. In order to maintain compliance with the National Flood Insurance Prevention Program, the City Council has determined it is in the best interest of the City to update flood damage prevention regulations by adopting new regulations based on Department of Ecology’s model flood damage prevention ordinance.   

SEPA Threshold Determination

The City of White Salmon issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) under the SEPA Rules (Washington Administrative Code Chapter 197-11-340(2) for the City’s  Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Update, to repeal WSMC 15.28 Floodplain Construction Restrictions and adopt WSMC 15.28 Flood Damage Prevention. After reviewing a completed environmental checklist and other information on file with the agency, the City of White Salmon determined that this proposal will not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment. This information is available to the public upon request.

SEPA Comment Period

Any person desiring to express their views or to be notified of the action taken on this application should notify the City of White Salmon in writing of their interest within fourteen (14) days of the date of publication of this notice, December 11, 2024. Written comments must be received no later than 5:00 PM on December 26, 2024. The general public comment period for this update will extend to January 10, 2025. Comments can be submitted by mail to City of White Salmon (PO Box 2139, White Salmon, WA 98672), in person at City Hall’s Dropbox (100 N. Main), or by email correspondence at Erikac@whitesalmonwa.gov.

SEPA Appeal Period

Per the White Salmon Municipal Code 18.20.170 - Environmental Protection (SEPA review) Appeal, any agency or person may appeal this DNS to the city council. The proponent or any aggrieved party may perfect such appeal by giving notice to the responsible official within ten days of the decision being appealed. Appeals shall not be deemed complete without payment of the appeal fees applicable, payable to the City of White Salmon. Appeals must be filed by December 26, 2024.

SEPA Comment Period:                    Comments received until December 26, 2024, at 5:00 PM

SEPA Appeal Period Ends:               December 26, 2024, at 5:00 PM

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

City Contact Person: Erika Castro Guzman, Project Coordinator 

Applicant Information: City of White Salmon