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- Texas camps were allowed to operate in flood prone areas (abcnews.go.com)
Following the devastating floods in Texas last week, environmentalists and urban planners are questioning the state’s regulations regarding housing, construction, and summer camps. The disaster has exposed a regulatory gap, with building zoning and permitting left to individual counties.
In many rural counties, like Kerr County, which tragically saw 96 flood-related deaths as of Thursday, officials have reportedly been lenient with building restrictions. This leniency, coupled with the state’s emphasis on personal property rights, creates a challenging environment for flood safety, according to experts.
One key area of concern is the state’s oversight of youth camps. The Texas Department of State Health Services licenses these camps but doesn’t explicitly address flood zone risks in its regulations. Camp applications require buildings to comply with applicable codes and address “fire, health, or safety hazard(s),” but there’s no specific mention of flood preparedness.
This issue came into sharp focus with the tragic loss of 27 children and staff at Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp on the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. Several cabins were located in known flood zones near the river, according to officials and FEMA flood maps. As of Thursday, the statewide death toll from the floods reached at least 121, with 166 people still missing.
Experts argue this tragedy underscores the need for a nationwide reassessment of building and safety regulations, particularly given the increasing risk of extreme weather events. While many jurisdictions are working to improve building safety, some experts believe a broader approach is needed. The focus, they say, should be on where new structures are built, not just how they’re built.
In Texas, outside of major cities, zoning regulations are largely absent. State Representative Gary Gates, who chairs the House Land & Resource Management Committee, explained that decisions about building in flood-prone areas are left to individual counties and the “free market system.”
He pointed to flood insurance requirements as the primary mechanism for regulating development, noting that most jurisdictions won’t allow construction without it. Gates also acknowledged the limited oversight of campgrounds, particularly in rural areas, citing the difficulty of regulating basic accommodations like tents and RVs.
In Camp Mystic’s case, many structures predate current FEMA flood zones and regulations, likely grandfathered in under older codes. The camp, established in 1926, expanded over the years, including a new section near Cypress Lake just five years ago, an area also within a FEMA flood zone. Kerr County approved this expansion.
While Representative Gates emphasized existing protocols for flood-prone properties, he admitted the warning systems may have been insufficient. He pledged to examine ways to prevent future tragedies but cautioned against overregulation in response to rare events. He noted that bolstering warning systems might be a more immediate solution.
The American Camp Association, while unaffiliated with Camp Mystic, stated that each camp bears responsibility for its own safety protocols. They emphasized the year-round planning and training camps undertake to address various risks, including extreme weather.
Despite the state’s sign-off on Camp Mystic’s emergency plans just days before the flood, questions remain. State inspectors confirmed the camp had emergency plans in place and that staff had been trained, but the plan’s details haven’t been released. While the state’s inspection found no violations, some experts argue that the current checklist approach to reviewing emergency plans doesn’t adequately assess their quality.
The situation in Texas highlights a national challenge. With flood risks increasing, experts advocate for directing new development away from floodplains.
Relocating existing structures is often costly and impractical, but future development can be guided to safer locations. This proactive approach, they argue, is crucial to mitigating the devastating costs of future flood disasters.
In 2011, Kerr County updated its flood damage prevention order, mandating flood-resistant construction methods and materials for new buildings and prohibiting encroachments in special flood hazard areas. However, the recent tragedy raises questions about the effectiveness of these measures in the face of extreme flooding.
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