The city of Albany is on track to adopt a new floodplain development ordinance that will help property owners learn whether their land is located within a 100-year floodplain.

The city council will hold a public hearing to consider the proposed changes starting at 7:15 tonight at City Hall. The council must adopt this new ordinance to comply with current federal requirements by Sept. 29 so residents can continue to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, said Planning Manager Heather Hansen.

If the amendments are not adopted, Albany would be immediately suspended from the NFIP, making flood insurance unavailable to Albany residences or businesses in the floodplain.

That means, among other things, no federal grants or loans for building could be made, no federal disaster assistance would be available to property owners and no federal mortgage insurance could be purchased.

The city began the amendment process in 2006, and regulations adopted this year will replace those on the books since 1999, Hansen said.

The ordinance changes were proposed in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency updating its flood hazard maps with newer topographical information provided by the city.

“In the process,” Hansen said, “some properties were removed from the floodplain and some were added.”

The reasons for the regulations are to reduce loss of life and property and to regulate activities that may obstruct or change the flow of water, she said.

Most of the proposed amendments clarify the intent of the floodplain regulations that already appear in the city’s development code; however a few more were added.

One change is that it will become more difficult to site “critical” facilities in the 100-year floodplain. Those, Hansen said, include hospitals, schools, police and fire stations, nursing homes and places where hazardous materials are produced or stored.

Regulations will emphasize it is not permitted to convert a garage or storage facility below the floodplain level into livable space for a home. To make sure that is clear to current and future property owners, the restriction will be attached to deeds. And people wanting to make substantial home improvements must build them high enough so they are not affected by flooding.

The amendments carry a hardship variance option, Hansen said.