No person shall do or commit or cause to be done or committed, any of the following described acts, nor allow the same to be done on his or her property, nor allow the property to remain in such condition:
(a) Deposit any material of any kind in a watercourse which may impair, impede or accelerate the flow of water therein so as to adversely affect adjoining property;
(b) Plant any vegetation (other than grasses or annual crops) within a watercourse which may impair, impede, or divert the flow of water in such watercourse (unless this is required by a land development permit issued by the County);
(c) Commit any act on or in any easement dedicated, granted or reserved for flood control or drainage purposes which will impair the use of such easement for such purposes; or
(d) Within a flood plain where a Flood Plain Designator or a Flood Channel Designator has been applied under the Zoning Ordinance or within a flood plain as delineated on approved maps issued by the Federal Insurance Administrator (designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development), construct new or substantial improvements of structures unless the lowest floor (including basement) is elevated to or above the level of the 100-year flood or the structure, including attendant utility and sanitary facilities, is flood proofed up to the level of the 100-year flood. "Substantial improvements" means any repair, reconstruction, or improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure either: (1) before the improvement is started, or (2) if the structure has been damaged, and is being restored, before the damage occurred. "Substantial improvements" are considered to occur when the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of the building commences, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the structure. "Substantial Improvements" do not, however, include any alteration to comply with existing federal, state or local health, sanitary, building or safety codes or regulations.
(Added by Ord. No. 9547 (N.S.), effective 5-9-03; amended by Ord. No. 9634 (N.S.), effective 4-23-04)