16.36.010 Findings.
The City Council finds that:
A. Certain areas within the corporate limits of the City, identified herein, are subject to periodic inundation which endangers life, property, health and safety, causes disruption of commerce and governmental services, and creates extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection and relief.
B. These flood losses may be caused by the natural flow and ponding of floodwaters and the cumulative effect of obstructions in areas of special flood hazards, which increase flood depths and velocities. Buildings that are inadequately floodproofed, elevated or protected from flood damage or that otherwise encroach on the natural storage capacity of the floodplain increase the extent of flooding and the amount of flood damage.
C. These regulations are promulgated in order 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:
1. To protect life and property by preventing the unwise use of flood-prone lands;
2. To minimize expenditure of public money and costly flood control projects;
3. To minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
4. To minimize prolonged business interruptions;
5. To minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard;
6. To help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to minimize future flood blight areas;
7. To ensure that potential buyers, appraisers, assessors, and others are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard;
8. To ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions;
9. To ensure that existing and new homes, businesses and public buildings will qualify for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program;
10. To ensure that floodplain development permitting complies with all State and Federal laws, including compliance with the Endangered Species Act as required to maintain the City’s eligibility in the National Flood Insurance Program; and
11. To consider future changes in flooding frequency and magnitude due to climate change.
D. The purposes of this regulation will best be fulfilled by regulations and provisions for:
1. Restricting or prohibiting uses which are dangerous to health, safety and property due to water or erosion hazards, or which result in damaging increases in erosion or in flood heights or velocities;
2. Requiring that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;
3. Controlling the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers, which help accommodate or channel floodwaters;
4. Controlling filling, grading, dredging and other development which may increase flood damage; and
5. Preventing or regulating the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas. (Ord. 2989 § 3 (Exh. A3), 2022; Ord. 2915 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 2775 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016; Ord. 2420 § 1, 2005; Ord. 2030 § 6, 1994; Ord. 1465 § 1, 1981).