These floodplain and erosion hazard area regulations are intended to protect human life and health, and promote and protect the public peace, safety, comfort, convenience, and general welfare; to meet state and federal requirements, thereby allowing residents of the city to purchase flood insurance; receive disaster relief should the need arise, and obtain residential and commercial real estate loans; to manage uses of the floodplains, recognizing that the highest and best use of the regulatory floodplains in the city is for the maintenance of hydrologic and hydraulic processes, with consideration for aesthetics, natural open space, recreation areas and wildlife habitat; to minimize flood and erosion damage; to protect and preserve groundwater recharge; to minimize costs to the city; to minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public; to encourage the most effective expenditures of public money for drainage projects; to minimize prolonged business interruptions; minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains; electric, telephone and sewer lines; and streets and bridges located in special flood hazard areas; to help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of special flood hazard areas so as to minimize blight areas caused by flooding; to notify potential buyers when a property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area; participate in and maintain eligibility for flood insurance and disaster relief; to accommodate anticipated runoff; to preserve the natural areas, streams, washes, arroyos, rivers, and drainage courses in their natural riverine condition whenever possible and that any land use proposal which utilizes this approach be considered superior to all others; to recognize that southwestern watercourses are unstable and that their physical characteristics may change; and to ensure that those who occupy the areas within a regulatory floodplain or erosion hazard area assume the responsibility for their actions.
(Ord. No. 7407, § 5, 6-25-90; Ord. No. 11396, § 1, 8-9-16)