As climate change increases the chance of extreme weather events and excessive rain, the areas near rivers and other bodies of water are at greater risk of flooding and environmental disruption. This puts people, buildings, wildlife, trees and other vegetation at risk.

The Floodplain Resilience Plan will reduce the impacts of future flooding on those who live and work in, or close to, Portland’s floodplains. The plan also aims to protect floodplain habitat for endangered and threatened fish species. This effort responds to Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) guidance by updating the rules that apply to new development along the edges of Portland’s rivers and streams.

The Floodplain Resilience project will:

• Expand environmental zones to protect areas in the city’s floodplains.
• Update requirements in areas of high risk of flooding to better manage tree and vegetation removal and ensure future development manages flood risk and preserves floodplain habitat.
• Add new mitigation requirements to areas within 170 feet of the Willamette River in the Central City to improve floodplain habitat near Portland’s rivers and streams.

The adoption of the plan will continue the City’s compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) flood protection requirements and maintain the 25% discount property owners in or near the floodplain currently receive on their flood insurance policies. The plan also advances floodplain management goals and policies in the City’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan.

Read the Proposed Draft

Submit testimony

In person

The Floodplain Resilience Plan Proposed Draft is headed to the Planning and Sustainability Commission for consideration on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, at 5 p.m. This hearing will be a hybrid format. Testifiers can participate either in-person or virtually using a computer, mobile device, or telephone. Portlanders must sign up to testify in advance. The deadline to sign up to testify at the Sept. 27 hearing is Monday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m.

The in-person PSC hearing will be at 1900 SW 4th Ave, Suite 2500A, Portland, OR 97201.

In writing

Use the Map App

Testify in writing via the Map App

Click on the "Testify" button. You can testify on the proposals in general. Testifying in the Map App is as easy as sending an email. Once your testimony is submitted, you can read it in real time. You can also read other people’s testimony. Written testimony will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.

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