A. Lands To Which These Provisions Apply: These provisions apply to all lands within the jurisdiction of the City of Little Falls which are located within the boundaries of the Floodway and Flood Fringe Districts. The boundaries of the zoning districts are determined by scaling distances on the Flood Insurance Rate Map, or as modified in accordance with subsection A2 of this section.
1. The Floodway, Flood Fringe and General Floodplain Districts are overlay districts that are superimposed on all existing zoning districts. The standards imposed in the overlay districts are in addition to any other requirements in this chapter. In case of a conflict, the more restrictive standards will apply.
2. Where a conflict exists between the floodplain limits illustrated on the official floodplain maps and actual field conditions, the flood elevations shall be the governing factor in locating the regulatory floodplain limits.
3. Persons contesting the location of the district boundaries will be given a reasonable opportunity to present their case to the Planning and/or Board of Adjustment, and to submit technical evidence.
B. Incorporation Of Maps By Reference: The following maps together with all materials are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of the official Zoning Map and this chapter. The attached materials include the Flood Insurance Study for the City of Little Falls prepared by the Federal Insurance Administration dated November 1979, the Flood Insurance Study for Morrison County, Minnesota, and incorporated areas, dated December 15, 1980, and the Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps identified below. These materials and the official zoning map are on file in the Office of the City Administrator.
FIRM Panel Number | Effective Date |
FIRM Panel Number | Effective Date |
2706170200B | June 15, 1981 |
2706170280B | May 1, 1980 |
2702990001B | May 1, 1980 |
FBFM Panel Number | Effective Date |
2706170280B | June 15, 1981 |
2702990001 | May 1, 1980 |
C. Abrogation And Greater Restrictions: It is not intended by these regulations to repeal, abrogate, or impair any existing easements, covenants or other private agreements. However, where these regulations impose greater restrictions, these provisions prevail. All other ordinances inconsistent with these regulations are hereby repealed to the extent of the inconsistency only.
D. Warning And Disclaimer Of Liability: These sections do not imply that areas outside the floodplain districts of land uses permitted within such districts will be free from flooding or flood damages. These sections do not create liability on the part of the City of Little Falls or its officers or employees for any flood damages that result from reliance on these regulations or any administrative decision lawfully made hereunder.
E. Severability: If any section, clause, provision, or portion of these regulations is adjudged unconstitutional or invalid by a court of law, the remainder of these regulations shall not be affected and shall remain in full force.
F. Definitions: Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in these regulations shall be interpreted so as to give them their most reasonable application:
ACCESSORY USE OR STRUCTURE: A use or structure on the same lot with, and of a nature customarily incidental and subordinate to, the principal use or structure.
BASE FLOOD: The flood having a one percent (1%) chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION: The elevation of the "regional flood". The term "base flood elevation" is used in the flood insurance survey.
BASEMENT: Any area of a structure, including crawl spaces, having its floor or base subgrade (below ground level) on all four (4) sides, regardless of the depth of excavation below ground level.
CONDITIONAL USE: A specific type of structure or land use listed in the official control that may be allowed but only after an in-depth review procedure and with appropriate conditions or restrictions as provided in the official zoning controls or Building Codes and upon a finding that:
1. Certain conditions as detailed in this chapter exist; and
2. The structure and/or land use conform to the comprehensive land use plan if one exists and are compatible with the existing neighborhood.
DEVELOPMENT: Any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including buildings or other structures mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations, or storage of equipment or materials.
EQUAL DEGREE OF ENCROACHMENT: A method of determining the location of floodway boundaries so that floodplain lands on both sides of a stream are capable of conveying a proportionate share of flood flows.
FARM FENCE: A fence as defined by Minnesota Statute section 344.02, subdivision 1(a) - (d). An open type fence of posts and wire is not considered to be structure under these regulations. Fences that have the potential to obstruct flood flows, such as chain link fences and rigid walls, are related as structures under these regulations.
FLOOD: A temporary increase in the flow or stage of a stream, or in the state of a wetland or lake that results in the inundation of normally dry areas.
FLOOD FREQUENCY: The frequency for which it is expected that a specific flood stage or discharge may be equaled or exceeded.
FLOOD FRINGE: The portion of the special flood hazard area (1 percent annual chance flood) located outside of the floodway. "Flood fringe" is synonymous with the term "floodway fringe" used in the applicable Flood Insurance Studies for the City of Little Falls, Minnesota.
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP: An official map on which the Federal Insurance Administrator has delineated the special hazard areas applicable to the community. A FIRM that has been made available digitally is called a Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM).
FLOOD PRONE AREA: Any land susceptible to being inundated by water from any source.
FLOODPLAIN: The beds proper and the areas adjoining a wetland, lake or watercourse which have been or hereafter may be covered by the regional flood.
FLOODWAY: The bed of a wetland or lake and the channel of a watercourse and those portions of the adjoining floodplain which are reasonably required to carry or store the regional flood discharge.
LOWEST FLOOR: The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area, including basement. An unfinished or flood resistant enclosure, used solely for parking of vehicles, building access, or storage in an area other than a basement area, is not considered a building's lowest floor; provided that such is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable non-elevation design requirements of 44 Code of Federal Regulations, part 60.3.
MANUFACTURED HOME: A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis and is designed for use with or without a permanent foundation when attached to the required utilities. The term "manufactured home" does not include the term "recreational vehicle".
NEW CONSTRUCTION: Structures, including additions and improvements, and placement of manufactured homes, for which the start of construction commenced on or after the effective date of these regulations.
OBSTRUCTION: Any dam, wall, wharf, embankment, levee, dike, pile, abutment, projection, excavation, channel modification, culvert, building, wire, fence, stockpile, refuse, fill, structure, or matter in, along, across, or projecting into any channel watercourse, or regulatory floodplain which may impede, retard, or change the direction of the flow of water, either in itself or by catching or collecting debris carried by such water.
100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN: Lands inundated by the "regional flood" (see definition).
PRINCIPAL USE OR STRUCTURE: All uses or structures that are not accessory uses or structures.
REACH: A hydraulic engineering term to describe a longitudinal segment of a stream or river influenced by a natural or manmade obstruction. In an urban area, the segment of a stream or river between two (2) consecutive bridge crossings would most typically constitute a reach.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE: A vehicle that is built on a single chassis, is four hundred (400) square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projection, is designed to be self- propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck and is designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use. For the purposes of these regulations, the term recreational vehicle is synonymous with the term "travel trailer/travel vehicle".
REGIONAL FLOOD: A flood which is representative of large floods known to have occurred generally in Minnesota and reasonably characteristic of what can be expected to occur on an average frequency in the magnitude of the one percent (1%) chance or 100-year recurrence interval. "Regional flood" is synonymous with the term "base flood" used in a flood insurance study.
REGULATORY FLOOD PROTECTION ELEVATION (RFPE): An elevation not less than one foot (1') above the elevation of the regional flood, plus any increases in flood elevation caused by encroachments on the floodplain that result from designation of a floodway.
REPETITIVE LOSS: Flood related damages sustained by a structure on two (2) separate occasions during a ten-year period for which the cost of repairs at the time of each flood event on the average equals or exceeds twenty five percent (25%) of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA: A term used for flood insurance purposes synonymous with "100-year floodplain".
START OF CONSTRUCTION: Includes substantial improvement, and means the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, placement or other improvements that occurred before the permit's expiration date. The actual start is either the first placement of permanent construction of a structure on a site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the construction of columns, or any work beyond the stage of excavation; or the placement of a manufactured home on a foundation. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such as clearing, grading and filling; nor does it include the installation of streets and/or walkways; nor does it include excavation for a basement, footings, piers, foundations, or the erection of temporary forms; nor does it include the installation on the property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main structure. For a substantial improvement, the actual start of construction means the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of a building whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.
STRUCTURE: Anything constructed or erected on the ground or attached to the ground or onsite utilities, including, but not limited to, buildings, factories, sheds, detached garages, cabins, manufactured homes, recreational vehicles not meeting the exemption criteria specified in section 11.59 of this chapter and other similar items.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE: Means damage of any origin sustained by a structure where the cost of restoring the structure to its before damaged condition would equal or exceed fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT: Within any consecutive 365-day period, any reconstruction, rehabilitation, including normal maintenance and repair, repair after damage, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure before the "start of construction" of the improvement. This term includes structures that have incurred "substantial damage", regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include either:
1. Any project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of State or local Health, Sanitary, or Safety Code specifications which have been identified by the local Code enforcement official and which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions.
2. Any alterations of a "historic structure", provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as a "historic structure". For the purpose of these regulations, "historic structure", is as defined in 44 Code of Federal Regulations, part 59.1.
G. Annexations: The Flood Insurance Rate Map panels adopted by reference into subsection B of this section may include floodplain areas that lie outside of the corporate boundaries of the City of Little Falls at the time of adoption of the floodplain management regulations. If any of these floodplain land areas are annexed into the City of Little Falls after the date of adoption of these regulations, the newly annexed floodplain lands will be subject to the provisions of these sections immediately upon the date of annexation. (Ord. 10, 7th Series, eff. 7-2-2018)