(A) Statutory authorization. The legislature of the state has delegated the responsibility to local governmental units to adopt regulations designed to minimize flood losses. Therefore, the governing body of the town does ordain as follows.
(Prior Code, § 11.01.010)
(B) Findings of fact.
(1) Some areas in the town may be subject to periodic inundation (flood-prone areas) which could result in loss of life and property, pose health and safety hazards, disrupt commerce and governmental services, and cause extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection and relief, all of which adversely affect the public health, safety and general welfare.
(2) These flood losses are increased by the cumulative effect of obstructions in flood-prone areas which cause an increase in flood heights and velocities, and by the occupancy of flood hazard areas by uses vulnerable to floods and hazardous to other lands because they are inadequately elevated, floodproofed or otherwise protected from flood damage.
(3) The town includes alluvial fans, one of which contains numerous abandoned drainageways and a perennial stream. The parcels occurring on these features may be subject to alluvial fan flooding.
(Prior Code, § 11.01.020)
(C) Statement of purpose. It is the purpose of this title 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:
(1) Protect human life and health;
(2) Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;
(3) Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
(4) Minimize prolonged business interruptions;
(5) Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in flood-prone areas;
(6) Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood-prone areas;
(7) Provide mapping information for buyers and owners to determine if property is in a potential flood-prone area; and
(8) Provide available information so that persons occupying potential flood-prone areas can take precautions that minimize potential impacts.
(Prior Code, § 11.01.030)
(D) Methods of reducing flood losses. In order to accomplish its purposes, this title uses the following methods:
(1) Restrict or prohibit uses that are dangerous to health, safety or property in times of flood, or cause excessive increases in flood heights or velocities;
(2) Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;
(3) Control the alteration of natural flood-prone areas, drainageways and natural protective barriers which are involved in the accommodation of flood waters;
(4) Control filling, grading, dredging and other development which may increase flood damage;
(5) Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert flood waters or which may increase flood hazards to other lands; and
(6) Regulate new construction in flood-prone areas so that it complies with this title.
(Prior Code, § 11.01.040) (Ord. 2011-09, passed 1-1-2012)