With the deadline quickly approaching for jurisdictions to choose how they will regulate flood plain development going forward, Astoria has decided to proceed with a permit-by-permit option.

Under this approach, anyone looking to land an application to develop in Astoria-area flood plains will need to craft a habitat assessment, documenting that their proposed development will achieve “no net loss.”

City councilors were not enthusiastic about the option when they made the decision at a meeting Monday night, but said it was the best choice for now.

Amanda Perron, an associate city planner, said there were several benefits, including the fact that the city was given an example of the assessments and guidance for how to evaluate them.

“There’s probably not a lot of likelihood that we’re going to be dealing with too many of these requests for permits … at least in the near future,” City Councilor Tom Brownson said. “So it’s pretty safe to go with permit-by-permit. Does that sound about right?”

“Yeah, I think it’s the most prudent option,” Perron agreed.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been working to bring its National Flood Insurance Program into compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act and notified jurisdictions several months ago that they had until Dec. 1 to commit to new pre-implementation compliance measures.

There were three options to choose from: prohibit all new development in the flood plain, adopt a model ordinance or go with the permit-by-permit approach.

Clatsop County recently decided to go with the second option, but called the overall situation a “no-win.”

Low-lying Alderbook on the east side is the area Perron believes could be the most affected.