Wolk renews effort to require local flood planning

General plans would be required to assess flood risk

SACRAMENTO–Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) this week introduced Assembly Bill 162, legislation to ensure that local governments consider flood risk in flood-prone regions. The bill is identical to AB 802 by Wolk, carried in the previous legislative session, but not acted upon.

“There is an astonishing lack of local planning with regards to flood risk, though many homes in California are at greater risk of flooding than of catching fire or being struck by an earthquake,” said Wolk. “My bill requires the local governments assess the risk floods pose to life and property before, not after, a disaster occurs.”

AB 162’s predecessor, AB 802, was unopposed and had a wide support base that included the California Farm Bureau Federation, Central Valley Flood Control Association, League of California Cities, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Sierra Club California and many others.

This is the second addition to Wolk’s flood protection legislative package this session. In December, she introduced AB 5, a comprehensive bill to protect Central Valley communities from floods. The bill connects flood management with local land-use decisions, and includes new financial incentives to encourage local governments to adopt flood protection plans before approving new developments—as well as minimum flood protection standards for new developments within flood-prone areas.

“AB 162 puts flood risk on a par with other potential hazards in the planning process,” Wolk said. “This is overdue. California and its taxpayers can’t afford to continue turning a blind eye to high risks associated with development in floodplains.”

Wolk says she is optimistic that this year’s attempt would be successful.

“There is now a broad consensus that this needs to be done and I am confident we can get this passed and signed this year.”