Flood-damage prevention ordinance approved

GRAVETTE — Gravette City Council, Thursday night, approved a new Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance which updates the city’s codes and regulations involving construction in a flood plain.

By its action the council rescinded the last code update outlined in an ordinance enacted in May of 2003. The new ordinance conforms with federal requirements and defines construction restraints and requirements in the designated flood plain areas.

Although flooding areas in the city of Gravette are minimal, runoff from developments can, and in some cases possibly has, altered earlier flood-prone areas.

The ordinance lists 10 items in its stated purpose, including the protection of life and health, protection against unwise development and eliminating the impacts of such development, minimizing expenditure of public moneys on control projects and providing protection to potential buyers of land in a flood hazard area.

An updated map of the flood plain area in Gravette is posted at Gravette City Hall.

Passage of the ordinance is a requirement for property owners to purchase federal flood protection insurance.

In other action, the council approved appointment of Andrea Kelly to the City Planning Commission; approved a lot split for Kim and Mary Lea Hendren just west of Lion Drive on Highway 72 east, allowing construction of a new studio for their radio station KBVA; approved an amendment to the city’s Policy and Procedures Manual; and okayed an ordinance for the city to do business with R & R Solutions.

The council tabled two proposals, pending further discussion at the next allcouncil committee meeting, defining an upgrade to the Rocky Dell/Ridge Road water line to upsize, and rescinding a day-care ordinance for a site at Jackson Street and Fourth Avenue S.W.

Council member Larry Stidham was unable to attend the meeting, but members welcomed council member Bill Howard who had recently been hospitalized.