(a) Within the City and County of Honolulu, certain areas are subject to periodic inundation by flooding or tsunami or both, resulting in loss of life and property, creation of health and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services as well as extraordinary public expenditures for flood and tsunami protection and relief, and impairment of the tax base, all of which adversely affect the public health, safety, and general welfare.
(b) These flood losses are caused by uses that are inadequately elevated, floodproofed, or protected from flood damage. The cumulative effect of obstructions in areas of special flood hazards, which increase flood heights and velocities also contribute to flood losses.
(c) Congress has determined that regulation of construction in areas subject to flood hazards is necessary for the protection of life and property and reduction of public costs for flood control, rescue and relief efforts, thereby promoting the safety, health, convenience, and general welfare of the community. To achieve these purposes, this chapter establishes flood hazard areas and imposes restrictions upon man-made changes to improved and unimproved real estate within the areas. These restrictions are necessary to qualify the city for participation in the federal flood insurance program.
(d) Failure to participate in the program would result in the denial of federal financial assistance for acquisition and construction purposes, and would jeopardize the making, securing, extension, and renewal of loans secured by improved real estate by lending institutions regulated by the federal government.
(e) This chapter is designed to:
(1) Protect human life and health and promote the general welfare;
(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 areas of special flood hazard;
(6) Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to minimize future blighted areas caused by flood damage;
(7) Ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard; and
(8) Ensure that those who occupy or develop, or both, the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions.
(1990 Code, Ch. 21A, Art. 1, § 21A-1.1) (Added by Ord. 14-9)