Planning Board

As a member of the Planning Board, you are responsible for administering laws related to the subdivision of land. Your board develops and updates the community’s master plan, recommends changes in the zoning laws to the city council or town meeting, and may grant special permits in cases for which standard regulations and permits do not apply.

Your board is in a unique position to help protect people, property, and community funds by helping to make sure that development in your floodplains doesn't increase flood and storm risk to people or property.

Following are some of the ways that you can help protect your community:

Hazard Identification and Mapping

• Interpreting Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies
• Understanding the limitations of Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies
• Sources of additional information
• Making hazard information available and accessible

Planning

• Creating a community master plan
• Creating a multi-objective management plan

Regulation and Development Standards

• Passing strict zoning ordinances and regulations
• Considering potential future conditions when siting new development
• Keeping public infrastructure outside of hazard-prone areas
• Incorporating National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements into local ordinances and regulations
• Ensuring local regulations allow appropriate development techniques
• Creating permanent no-build areas
• Using freeboard to elevate structures above predicted floodwaters

Mitigation and Shore Protection

• Using non-structural shore protection
• Using flood and erosion control structures
• Acquiring existing structures
• Using freeboard to elevate structures above predicted floodwaters

Infrastructure

• Protecting critical access routes
• Keeping roads and utilities out of damage-prone areas
• Maintaining an inventory of hazard risks for all public property
• Improving construction and design of critical facilities
• Siting critical facilities out of harm's way

Education and Outreach

• General hazard awareness
• Hazard training for local officials
• Sources for outreach materials