(A) Findings of fact.
(1) The flood prone areas within the jurisdiction of the town are subject to periodic inundation which results in loss of life, property, health, and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services, extraordinary public expenditures of flood protection and relief, and impairment of the tax base, all of which adversely affect the public health, safety, and general welfare.
(2) These flood losses are caused by the cumulative effect of obstructions in floodplains causing increases in flood heights and velocities and by the occupancy in flood prone areas of uses vulnerable to floods or other hazards.
(B) Statement of purpose. 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 flood conditions within flood prone areas by provisions designed to:
(1) Restrict or prohibit uses that are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water or erosion hazards or that result in damaging increases in erosion, flood heights, or velocities;
(2) Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities that serve such 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 are involved in the accommodation of floodwaters;
(4) Control filling, grading, dredging, and all other development that may increase erosion or flood damage; and
(5) Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers that will unnaturally divert flood waters or which may increase flood hazards to other lands.
(Ord. passed 11-9-2010)