In an effort to protect endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest, the National Marine Fisheries Service is calling for a building moratorium near rivers in the Puget Sound region.
"In a potentially far-reaching decision for more than 270 municipalities, the National Marine Fisheries Service said the federal flood insurance program that protects homes and businesses built in flood plains is illegal. The reasoning: Flood insurance allows development that harms salmon and, consequently, the orcas that eat salmon. Both are protected under the Endangered Species Act."
"It's now up to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which administers the flood-insurance program, to outline steps it will take to make development more friendly to salmon and orcas. FEMA spokesman Mike Howard said agency officials are still studying the decision and plan to outline their plans within the next month."
"Inside flood zones, it's virtually impossible to develop without flood insurance and inability to obtain it "would effectively shut down new housing" in flood plains, the Washington Association of Realtors has said."
FULL STORY: A building ban near rivers?
How Zoning Changes Could Boost Housing Supply in Seattle
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San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
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Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research