Planning commission recommends conditional use permit for Moorhead flood wall
May 05, 2026 | Moorhead, Clay County, Minnesota
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The Moorhead Planning Commission voted May 4 to recommend the City Council approve a conditional use permit for excavation, fill and construction of a sheet‑pile flood wall within the FEMA-designated floodway and flood fringe as part of the 1st Avenue North Underpass flood‑mitigation project.
City planner Houston summarized the request: “The city of Moorhead is requesting a conditional use permit to construct a sheet pile flood wall within the floodway and flood fringe.” Houston told commissioners staff had included related findings of fact and four conditions in the recommended motion and said the office had not received any public comments to date.
A commissioner asked how long Riverfront Park would be disrupted. Andrea Crabtree Naze, a City of Moorhead utility engineer who handles floodplain and stormwater management, said the park would be closed only temporarily for material unloading and that those interruptions would likely last hours, not days: “They might have to bring a load in, unload it, and then they'd get out of the way.”
Crabtree Naze also clarified the project’s tree removal scope: “The trees that are being removed are on the east side of the flood wall past the lift station. Those will be removed because the flood wall will be placed there. So those will not be replaced.”
When the commission moved to approve its recommendation, the motion spelled out conditions that must be met prior to permit issuance: all excavated material must be removed and not permanently stored in the floodway or flood fringe; a FEMA no‑rise certification for excavation or fill in the floodway is required before issuing a floodplain development permit; disturbed land must be restored to preconstruction condition; and the applicant must obtain all required federal, state and local permits. The commission approved the recommendation by voice vote.
The commission’s action sends the conditional use permit and its findings to the Moorhead City Council for final consideration.
City planner Houston summarized the request: “The city of Moorhead is requesting a conditional use permit to construct a sheet pile flood wall within the floodway and flood fringe.” Houston told commissioners staff had included related findings of fact and four conditions in the recommended motion and said the office had not received any public comments to date.
A commissioner asked how long Riverfront Park would be disrupted. Andrea Crabtree Naze, a City of Moorhead utility engineer who handles floodplain and stormwater management, said the park would be closed only temporarily for material unloading and that those interruptions would likely last hours, not days: “They might have to bring a load in, unload it, and then they'd get out of the way.”
Crabtree Naze also clarified the project’s tree removal scope: “The trees that are being removed are on the east side of the flood wall past the lift station. Those will be removed because the flood wall will be placed there. So those will not be replaced.”
When the commission moved to approve its recommendation, the motion spelled out conditions that must be met prior to permit issuance: all excavated material must be removed and not permanently stored in the floodway or flood fringe; a FEMA no‑rise certification for excavation or fill in the floodway is required before issuing a floodplain development permit; disturbed land must be restored to preconstruction condition; and the applicant must obtain all required federal, state and local permits. The commission approved the recommendation by voice vote.
The commission’s action sends the conditional use permit and its findings to the Moorhead City Council for final consideration.
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