(A) It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the public health, safety and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses due to flooding by provisions designed to:
(1) Restrict or prohibit uses which are dangerous to health, safety and property due to water or erosion hazards, which result in damaging increases in erosion or in flood height or velocity;
(2) Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve those 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 flood waters;
(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 flood waters or which may increase flood hazards to other areas.
(B) The objectives of this chapter are:
(1) To protect human life and health;
(2) To minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;
(3) To minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
(4) To minimize prolonged business interruptions;
(5) To 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) To help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of areas of special flood hazard or other flood prone areas in a manner as to minimize flood blighted areas caused by flooding;
(7) To ensure that potential home buyers are on notice that property is in a special flood hazard area; and
(8) To ensure those who occupy a special flood hazard area assume responsibility for their actions.
(Prior Code, § 152.03) (Ord. 92-1, passed - -1992; Ord. 154, passed 1-24-2011)