[Ord. 1120-13, eff. July
4, 2013]
The Legislature of the State of California has in Government
Code §§ 65302, 65560, and 65800 conferred upon local
governments the authority to adopt regulations designed to promote
the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizenry. Therefore,
the City Council of the City of Avalon does hereby adopt the following
floodplain management regulations.
[Ord. 1120-13, eff. July
4, 2013]
(a) The flood hazard areas of the City of Avalon are subject to periodic
inundation which results in loss of life and property, health and
safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services,
extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection and relief,
and impairment of the tax base, all of which adversely affect the
public health, safety, and general welfare.
(b) These flood losses are caused by uses that are inadequately elevated,
floodproofed, or protected from flood damage. The cumulative effect
of obstructions in areas of special flood hazards which increase flood
heights and velocities also contributes to flood losses.
(c) It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the public health, safety,
and general welfare, and to minimize public and private losses due
to flood conditions in specific areas by legally enforceable regulations
applied uniformly throughout the community to all publicly and privately
owned land within flood prone, mudslide (i.e. mudflow) or flood related
erosion areas. These regulations are 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; and streets and
bridges located in areas of special flood hazard;
(6)
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 blighted areas caused by flood damage;
(7)
Ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in
an area of special flood hazard; and
(8)
Ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard
assume responsibility for their actions.
[Ord. 1120-13, eff. July
4, 2013]
In order to accomplish its purposes, this chapter includes regulations
to:
(a) Restrict or prohibit uses which are dangerous to health, safety,
and property due to water or erosion hazards, or which result in damaging
increases in erosion or flood heights or velocities;
(b) Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which
serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of
initial construction;
(c) Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and
natural protective barriers, which help accommodate or channel floodwaters;
(d) Control filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may
increase flood damage;
(e) Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will
unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards
in other areas.