Fort Worth approves new rules to protect homes and businesses from flash flooding
The Fort Worth City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to change the way the city regulates flood water.
The new rules tighten regulations for areas that don’t see flooding from lakes and rivers, but do regularly flood in a heavy rainstorm.
Most of these areas are inside the Loop 820, according to city flood maps.
The biggest change is applying flood rules to developments smaller than one acre. Previously the rules only applied to larger developments. Smaller projects over time, however, can cover up water-soluble topsoil making those areas more prone to flooding.
This could prevent the kind of flash flooding seen in neighborhoods such as Linwood, near the West 7th entertainment district, where single-family homes with water permeable lawns were replaced by duplexes and townhomes.
The changes would only apply to new construction or any major additions to an existing building, and it will only apply in areas identified by the city as prone to flash flooding.
Most of these areas are older areas on the city inside Loop 820. The city has a map highlighting the areas prone to flash flooding, and property owners can use the city’s OneAddress website to see if their property is in one of these city-identified flood zones.
Mayor Pro Tem Gyna Bivens, whose represents east Fort Worth where multiple residents have been killed by flash flooding, praised the change at the council meeting Tuesday night.
“This will save lives,” Bivens said.
The new rules go into effect July 15.
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