Any person believing that the use and development standards of these regulations would result in unnecessary hardship may file an application for a variance. The Appeals Board shall have the power to authorize, in specific cases, such variances from the standards of these regulations, not inconsistent with federal regulations, as will not be contrary to the public interest where, owning to special conditions of the lot or parcel, a literal enforcement of the provisions of these regulations would result in unnecessary hardship.
(A) Application for a variance.
(1) Any owner or agent thereof of property for which a variance is sought shall make an application for a variance by filing it with the Floodplain Administrator, who, upon receipt of the variance, shall transmit it to the Appeals Board.
(2) Such application at a minimum shall contain the following information: name, address and telephone number of the applicant; legal description of the property; parcel map; description of the existing use; description of the proposed use; location of the floodplain; description of the variance sought; and reason for the variance request.
(B) Public hearing. At such hearing, the applicant shall present such statements and evidence as the Appeals Board requires. In considering such variance applications, the Appeals Board shall consider and make findings of fact on all evaluations, all relevant factors, standards specified in other sections of these regulations and the following factors:
(1) The danger that materials may be swept onto other lands to the injury of others;
(2) The danger to life and property due to flooding or erosion damage;
(3) The susceptibility of the proposed facility and its contents to flood damage and the effect of such damage on the individual owner;
(4) The importance of the services provided by the proposed facility to the community;
(5) The availability of alternative locations for the proposed use that are not subject to flooding or erosion damage;
(6) The necessity to the facility of a waterfront location, where applicable;
(7) The compatibility of the proposed use with existing and anticipated development;
(8) The relationship of the proposed use to the comprehensive plan and floodplain management program for that area;
(9) The safety of access to the property in times of flood for ordinary and emergency vehicles;
(10) The expected heights, velocity, duration, rate of rise and sediment transport of the floodwaters and the effects of wave action, if applicable, expected at the site; and
(11) The costs of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions, including maintenance and repair of public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems, and streets and bridges.
(C) Variances.
(1) Variances shall only be issued upon:
(a) A showing of good and sufficient cause;
(b) A determination that failure to grant the variance would result in exceptional hardship due to the physical characteristics of the property. Increased cost or inconvenience of meeting the requirements of these regulations does not constitute an exceptional hardship to the applicant;
(c) A determination that the granting of a variance will not result in increased flood heights beyond that which is allowed in these regulations; additional threats to public safety; extraordinary public expense, nuisances, fraud on or victimization of the public or conflict with existing local laws;
(d) A determination that the structure or other development is protected by methods to minimize flood damages; and
(e) A determination that the variance is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief.
(2) Upon consideration of the above factors and the purposes of these regulations, the Appeals Board may attach such conditions to the granting of variances as it deems necessary to further the purposes of these regulations.
(D) Other conditions tor variances.
(1) Variances shall not be issued within any designated floodway if any increase in flood levels during the base flood discharge would result.
(2) Generally, variances may be issued for new construction and substantial improvements to be erected on a lot of one-half acre or less in size contiguous to and surrounded by lots with existing structures constructed below the base flood level, providing items in divisions (B)(1) to (B)(11) above have been fully considered. As the lot size increases beyond one-half acre, the technical justification required for issuing the variance increases.
(3) Any applicant to whom a variance is granted shall be given written notice that the structure will be permitted to be built with a lowest floor elevation below the base flood elevation and the cost of flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk resulting from the reduced lowest floor elevation.
(Ord. 4057, passed 10-10-2009)