The biggest simultaneous proposed expansion of federally defined flood zones in the history of the 37-year-old National Flood Insurance Program sparks a debate about zoning in the hurricane-hit areas of the Gulf Coast. [Link corrected]
"...a broad clash here along the Gulf Coast over whether to cede large swaths of land to nature, to rebuild much as it was, or to rebuild homes, at a higher price, with more robust foundations and on structures that raise them above the ground.
The debate is playing out on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with a cast that includes storm victims, coastal engineers, mortgage lenders, the insurance industry, and local, state and federal government officials...
In communities that have resisted, elected officials say they fear now is the worst time to radically increase land-use standards, forcing residents who have already lost almost everything to dig deeper into their pockets to rebuild...Many of the homes wiped out by Hurricane Katrina were built on lots that were swept clear in 1969 when Hurricane Camille hit."
FULL STORY: Residents Fight Shift in Zoning for Gulf Coast
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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