(a) Appeals Board and Variance Procedure.
(1) The Zoning Board of Appeals as established by Chapter 1127 of Codified Ordinances of the City of North College Hill shall hear and decide appeals and requests for variances from the requirements of this chapter.
(2) The Appeals Board shall hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is an error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Floodplain Administrator in the administration or enforcement of these regulations.
(b) Variances.
(1) Any person believing that the use and development standards of these regulations would result in unnecessary hardship may file an application for a variance. The Appeals Board shall have the power to authorize, in specific cases, such variances from the standards of these regulations, not inconsistent with Federal regulations, as will not be contrary to the public interest where, owing to special conditions of the lot or parcel, a literal enforcement of the provisions of these regulations would result in unnecessary hardship.
(2) In considering such variance applications, the Appeals Board shall consider and make findings of fact on all evaluations, all relevant factors, standards specified in other sections of these regulations and the following factors:
A. The danger that materials may be swept onto other lands to the injury of others.
B. The danger to life and property due to flooding or erosion damage.
C. The susceptibility of the proposed facility and its contents to flood damage and the effect of such damage on the individual owner.
D. The importance of the services provided by the proposed facility to the community.
E. The availability of alternative locations for the proposed use which are not subject to flooding or erosion damage.
F. The necessity to the facility of a waterfront location, where applicable.
G. The compatibility of the proposed use with existing and anticipated development.
H. The relationship of the proposed use to the comprehensive plan and floodplain management program for that area.
I. The safety of access to the property in times of flood for ordinary and emergency vehicles.
J. The expected heights, velocity, duration, rate of rise, and sediment transport of the flood waters and the effects af wave action, if applicable, expected at the site.
K. The costs of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions, including maintenance and repair of public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical, and water systems, and streets and bridges.
(3) Upon consideration of the above factors and the purposes of these regulations, the Appeals Board may attach such conditions to the granting of variances as it deems necessary to further the purposes of these regulations.
(4) The Building Commissioner shall maintain the records of all appeal actions and report any variance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency upon request.
(c) Variance Conditions.
(1) Variances shall not be issued within any designated floodway if any increase in flood levels during the base flood discharge would result.
(2) Generally, variances may be issued for new construction and substantial improvements to be erected on a lot of one-half acre or less in size contiguous to and surrounded by lots with existing structures constructed below the base flood level, providing items in subsection (b)(2) A. to K. have been fully considered. As the lot size increases beyond one-half acre, the technical justification required for issuing the variance increases.
(3) Variances shall only be issued upon:
A. A showing of good and sufficient cause.
B. A determination that failure to grant the variance would result in exceptional hardship due to the physical characteristics of the property. Increased cost or inconvenience of meeting the requirements of these regulations does not constitute an exceptional hardship to the applicant.
C. A determination that the granting of a variance will not result in increased flood heights beyond that which is allowed in these regulations; additional threats to public safety; extraordinary public expense, nuisances, fraud on or victimization of the public, or conflict with existing local laws.
D. A determination that the structure or other development is protected by methods to minimize flood damages.
E. A determination that the variance is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief.
(4) Any applicant to whom a variance is granted shall be given written notice that the structure will be permitted to be built with a lowest floor elevation below the base flood elevation and the cost of flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk resulting from the reduced lowest floor elevation.
(d) Appeal to the Court. Those aggrieved by the decision of the Appeals Board may appeal such decision to the Hamilton Court of Common Pleas, as provided in Chapter 2506 of the Ohio Revised Code. (Ord. 8-2004. Passed 5-3-04.)