(A) Statutory authorization. The legislature of the state has in G.S. Chapter 143, Article 21, Part 6; G.S. Chapter 160A, Article 19, Parts 3, 5 and 8; and G.S. Chapter 160A, Article 8, delegated to local governmental units the responsibility to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety and general welfare. Therefore, the Board of Aldermen of the town, does ordain as follows.
(B) Findings of fact.
(1) The flood-prone areas within the jurisdiction of the town are subject to periodic inundation which results in loss of life, property, health and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services, extraordinary public expenditures of flood protection and relief, and impairment of the tax base, all of which adversely affect the public health, safety and general welfare.
(2) These flood losses are caused by the cumulative effect of obstructions in floodplains causing increases in flood heights and velocities and by the occupancy in flood-prone areas of uses vulnerable to floods or other hazards.
(C) Statement of purpose. It is the purpose of this chapter to promote public health, safety and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions within flood-prone areas by provisions designed to:
(1) Restrict or prohibit uses that are dangerous to health, safety and property due to water or erosion hazards or that result in damaging increases in erosion, flood heights or velocities;
(2) Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities that serve the 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 are involved in the accommodation of flood waters;
(4) Control filling, grading, dredging and all other development that may increase erosion or flood damage; and
(5) Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers that will unnaturally divert flood waters or which may increase flood hazards to other lands.
(D) Objectives. The objectives of this chapter are to:
(1) Protect human life, safety 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 losses and interruptions;
(5) Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities (i.e., water and gas mains, electric, telephone, cable and sewer lines, streets and bridges) that are located in flood-prone areas;
(6) Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood- prone areas; and
(7) Ensure that potential buyers are aware that property is in a special flood hazard area.
(Ord. passed 9-28-2007)