A. Legal Authority: Chapter 455B, code of Iowa, as amended, gives cities authority to adopt regulations governing development and redevelopment within flood hazard areas, including designation of flood hazard maps.
B. Legislative Findings:
1. The flood hazard areas of Iowa City are subject to periodic inundation which can result in loss of life and property, health and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services, extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection and relief and impairment of the tax base, all of which adversely affect the peace, safety, health, welfare, comfort and convenience of its residents.
2. These flood losses, hazards, and related adverse effects are caused by the occupancy of flood hazard areas by uses vulnerable to flood damages. Such uses create hazardous conditions as a result of being inadequately elevated or otherwise protected from flooding and the cumulative effect of obstructions on the floodplain causing increases in flood heights and velocities.
3. This article relies upon engineering methodology for analyzing flood hazards, which is consistent with the standards established by the Iowa department of natural resources or its assignee. (Ord. 10-4414, 11-16-2010)