Floodplain management issues in condemnation cases

ABSTRACT

This paper demonstrates how basic floodplain management-related issues, concepts, and practices can have significant effects on the financial and physical outcome of condemnation cases for public projects. Four case studies will be briefly described from the perspective of floodplain and related environmental issues that affected the final settlements. The actual names of the cases are not being used, since legal appeals may be forthcoming. This paper ilustrates that government agencies and other entities with condemnation powers can be impacted by local floodplain management policies and practices when their projects are within floodprone areas. It also demonstrates the complex interaction of floodplain management with transportation, environmental issues, land development patterns, and property values. In each case, the local floodplain management programs and managers (cities) were involved and impacted by the deliberations and final results of these projects