The duties and responsibilities of the Floodplain Administrator shall include, but not be limited to the following:
(A) Review all development permits to determine that:
(1) Permit requirements of this chapter have been satisfied;
(2) The site is reasonably safe from flooding;
(3) All other required state and federal permits have been obtained; and
(4) The proposed development does not adversely affect the carrying capacity of areas where base flood elevations have been determined but a floodway has not been designated. For purposes of this chapter, adversely affects are the cumulative effect of the proposed development when combined with all other existing and anticipated development will increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot at any point.
(B) (1) When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with § 26.3-2, the Floodplain Administrator shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal or state agency, or other source, in order to administer Article V. Any information shall be submitted to the City Council for adoption.
(2) If no base flood elevation data is available from a federal or state agency or other sources, then a base flood elevation shall be obtained using one of the two methods from the FEMA publication, Managing Floodplain Development In Approximate Zone A Areas A Guide for Obtaining And Developing Base (100-year) Flood Elevations, dated July 1995, and any subsequent revisions, in order to administer Article V of this chapter.
(a) The 100-year or base flood discharge shall be obtained using the appropriate regression equation found in a U.S. Geological Survey publication, or the discharge-drainage area method; and base flood elevation shall be obtained using the Quick-2 computer program developed by FEMA.
(b) The 100-year or base flood discharge shall be obtained using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ HEC-1 computer program; and base flood elevations shall be obtained using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ HEC-RAS computer program.
(C) Notification of other agencies:
(1) Alteration or relocation of a watercourse:
(a) Notify adjacent communities and the California Department of Water Resources prior to alteration or relocation;
(b) Submit evidence of such notification to the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
(c) Assure that the flood-carrying capacity within the altered or relocated portion of the watercourse is maintained.
(2) Base flood elevation changes due to physical alterations:
(a) Within six months of information becoming available or project completion, whichever comes first, the Floodplain Administrator shall submit or assure that the permit applicant submits technical or scientific data to FEMA for a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR).
(b) Assure that all LOMRs for flood control projects are approved prior to the issuance of building permits. Building permits must not be issued based on Conditional Letters of Map Revision (CLOMRs). Approved CLOMRs allow construction of the proposed flood control project and land preparation as specified in the “start of construction” definition in § 26.2-1.
Such submissions are necessary so that upon confirmation of those physical changes affecting flooding conditions, risk premium rates and floodplain management requirements are based on current data.
(3) Changes in corporate boundaries: Notify FEMA in writing whenever the city’s corporate boundaries have been modified by annexation or other means and include a copy of a map of the community clearly delineating the new corporate limits.
(D) Obtain and maintain for public inspection and make available as needed the following:
(1) Certification required by § 26.5-1(C)(1), lowest floor elevations;
(2) Certification required by § 26.5-11(C)(2), elevation or floodproofing of nonresidential structures;
(3) Certification required by § 26.5-1(C)(3), wet floodproofing standard;
(4) Certification required by § 26.5-2(C), storage standards;
(5) Certification of elevation required by § 26.5-4(A)(2), land subdivision, use reclassification standards;
(6) Certification as required in § 26.5-5, manufactured homes elevation and anchoring;
(7) Certification as required in § 26.5-6, recreational vehicles elevation and anchoring;
(8) Certification required by § 26.5-7, supplemental provisions;
(9) Certification required by § 26.5-8(D), floodway encroachments.
(E) Make interpretations where needed, as to the location of the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard. Where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions, grade and base flood elevations shall be used to determine the boundaries of the special flood hazard area. The person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as provided in § 26.4-4 or Article VI of this chapter.
(F) Take action to remedy violations of this chapter as specified in § 26.3-3.
(`61 Code, § 26.4-3) (Ord. 913, passed 4-18-2000; Am. Ord. 985, passed 4-15-2008)