Callaway County sues property owners for bucking FEMA floodplain rules
Marie Moyer
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Callaway County has sued three property owners for alleged violation of the county’s floodplain rules.
The county commission sued T&T Pallet and Farmer Companies, or Farmer Holding Inc., as well as one residential homeowner.
According to court documents, Callaway County is included in FEMA’s National Flood Plain Insurance Program that provides flood insurance to property owners, renters and businesses. Due to the properties not complying with county floodplain ordinances, FEMA gave the county until Nov. 29, 2025 to bring the properties into compliance.
In court documents, “Callaway County has been informed that all property owners of Callaway County must be in compliance with the Callaway County Floodplain Ordinance, or else Callaway County, in its entirety, will be removed from the NFIP.”
Callaway County’s representative Travis Elliott adds that the deadline is not a hard date. However, the County plans for a restraining order on the properties from the judge to help make some progress.
“That is the main reason why the county is taking this additional step, because of the requirements that property owners comply with the floodplain ordinance of the county, which is overseen by SEMA and delegated that authority from FEMA,” said Callaway County’s representative Travis Elliott said.
First Street found that Callaway County is at moderate risk for flooding, with over 2,800 or around 11% of properties at risk over the next 30 years.
According to court documents, T&T Pallet’s pallets post a hazard if lost in a flood, and the county ordered the property owners to either remove the pallets or tie them down and secure them. T&T Pallet was contacted five times by the National Floodplain Insurance Program and county officials, but the company did not respond.
Petition for Declaratory Judgment, Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction and Permanent InjunctionDownload
The county was able to get in contact with Farmer Holding, which was asked to submit plans to obtain the proper permits. However, the company was allegedly unable to provide documentation that it followed through.
Farmer Holding declined to comment for this story.
Petition for Declaratory Judgment, Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction and Permanent Injunction (1)Download
The homeowner was found in violation of county ordinances due to a manufactured home being in a flood hazard area. The homeowners were asked to submit the appropriate permits and certificates but did not follow through.
“The issues are pretty straightforward,” Elliott said. “The counties had a flood plain ordinance in effect for a very long time, and the county has attempted to communicate with these property owners, and so I think that it’s pretty straightforward as far as what the requirements are.”
The judge has not ruled yet on the county’s restraining order.