A. Statutory Authority: The state of Oregon has delegated the responsibility to local governmental units to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizenry. Therefore, the city of Umatilla does ordain as follows.
B. Findings Of Fact:
1. The flood hazard areas of the city of Umatilla are subject to periodic inundation that results in loss of life and property, health and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services, extraordinary public expenditures for flood relief and protection, and impairment of the tax base, all of which adversely affect the public health, safety and general welfare.
2. These flood losses are caused by structures in flood hazard areas, which are inadequately elevated, floodproofed, or otherwise unprotected from flood damages, and by the cumulative effect of obstructions in floodplains causing increases in flood heights and velocities.
3. The city of Umatilla has the primary responsibility for planning, adoption and enforcement of land use regulations to accomplish proper floodplain management.
C. Statement Of Purpose: The objectives of this chapter are to:
1. Protect human life, health and property;
2. Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water purification and sewage treatment plants, water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in floodplains;
3. Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood prone areas;
4. Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;
5. Minimize the need for rescue and emergency services associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
6. Minimize unnecessary disruption of commerce, access and public service during times of flood;
7. Ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard;
8. Ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions; and
9. Manage the alteration of flood hazard areas, stream channels and shorelines to minimize the impact of development on the natural and beneficial functions of the floodplain.
D. Methods Of Reducing Flood Losses:
1. In order to accomplish its purpose, this chapter includes methods and provisions to:
a. Require that development that is vulnerable to floods, including structures and facilities necessary for the general health, safety and welfare of citizens, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;
b. Restrict or prohibit uses which are dangerous to health, safety and property due to water or erosion hazards, or which increase flood heights, velocities, or erosion;
c. Control filling, grading, dredging and other development which may increase flood damage or erosion;
d. Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers that will unnaturally divert floodwaters or that may increase flood hazards to other lands;
e. Preserve and restore natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers which carry and store floodwaters; and
f. Coordinate with and supplement provisions of Oregon building codes. (Ord. 760, 8-17-2010)
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