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 in specific areas by provisions designed to:
(a) Protect human life and health;
(b) Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;
(c) Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
(d) Minimize prolonged business interruptions;
(e) Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in floodplains;
(f) Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood-prone areas in a manner as to minimize future flood blight areas; and
(g) Ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in a flood area.
(h) Qualify the city of Sioux Falls for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program and Community Rating System program, thereby giving citizens and businesses the opportunity to purchase flood insurance, potentially at discounted rates;
(i) Work with existing city ordinances in stormwater and health to maintain the quality of water in rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries, and marine areas and their floodplains so as to protect public water supplies, areas of the public trust, and wildlife habitat protected by the Endangered Species Act;
(j) Retain the natural channel, shoreline, and floodplain creation processes and other natural floodplain functions that protect, create, and maintain habitat for threatened and endangered species; and
(k) Prevent or minimize loss of hydraulic, geomorphic, and ecological functions of floodplains and stream channels.
(1992 Code, § 45-3) (Ord. 70-09, passed 8-3-2009; Ord. 77-21, passed 7-6-2021)