(A) It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare and to minimize public and private loss due to flooding by provisions designed to:
(1) Restrict or prohibit uses which are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water erosion hazards, or which result in damaging increases in erosion or in flood height or velocity;
(2) Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;
(3) Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers which accommodate or channel floodwaters;
(4) Control filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase erosion or flood damage; and
(5) Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards to other areas.
(B) The objectives of this chapter are to:
(1) Protect human life and health;
(2) Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;
(3) Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
(4) Minimize prolonged business interruptions;
(5) Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities, such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines; streets and bridges located in special flood hazard areas;
(6) Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of special flood hazard areas or other flood-prone areas in such a manner as to minimize future flood-blighted areas caused by flooding;
(7) Ensure that potential home buyers are on notice that property is in a special flood hazard area; and
(8) Ensure that those who occupy a special flood hazard area assume responsibility for their actions.
(Ord. 07-13, passed 5-15-07)