Community and Regional Planning Program
Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses
First Advisor
Zhenghong Tang
Committee Members
Yunwoo Nam, Tian Li
Date of this Version
12-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Citation
A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Community and Regional Planning
Major: Community and Regional Planning
Under the supervision of Professor Zhenghong Tang
Lincoln, Nebraska, December 2025
Abstract
Flooding has profound social, economic, and environmental impacts on local communities, and zoning plays a critical role in mitigating these risks. The 2019 Nebraska floods, among the most severe in the state’s history, highlighted the urgent need to strengthen local preparedness and mitigation strategies. This study assesses the extent to which local zoning regulations in Nebraska’s most affected jurisdiction, including rural areas, address flood risk reduction. A systematic review of 117 zoning ordinances from counties, cities, towns, and villages, we applied a structured analytical framework encompassing regulatory and permitting policies, voluntary and incentive-based measures, and nature-based solutions. The results show significant inconsistencies in flood preparedness across various jurisdictions. Regulatory measures are most adopted, whereas incentive-based voluntary approaches and nature system protection remain underdeveloped and noticeably neglected. Urban jurisdictions demonstrate stronger preparedness compared to rural areas, reflecting differences in institutional capabilities and resource availability. The findings underscore significant gaps in adopting proactive and innovative flood mitigation measures in inland rural communities. This study contributes a transferable framework for assessing zoning regulation effectiveness in flood mitigation and highlights the critical need for enhanced state-level coordination, targeted investments, capacity building, and broader adoption of integrated flood risk management strategies, and bridging urban-rural preparedness gaps. These findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and planners seeking to strengthen community resilience and reduce inequities in flood hazard preparedness.
Advisor: Zhenghong Tang
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