[Ord. No. 930, § 1.1, 7-27-2010]
The Legislature of the State of North Dakota has in North Dakota
Century Code, Chapters 40-47, 11-33 and 58-03, delegated responsibility
to local governmental units to adopt regulations designed to promote
the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizenry.
Therefore, the City Commission of Williston, North Dakota does
ordain as follows.
[Ord. No. 930, § 1.2, 7-27-2010]
(1)
The flood hazard areas of Williston, North Dakota, are subject to
periodic inundation which can endanger life, result in loss of property,
create health and safety hazards, disrupt commerce and governmental
services, cause extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection
and relief, and impair the tax base, all of which adversely affect
the public health, safety, and general welfare.
(2)
Flood losses caused by the cumulative effect of obstructions in the
special flood hazard areas cause increases in flood heights and velocities.
Inadequately floodproofed, elevated or otherwise unprotected structures
also contribute to the flood loss.
[Ord. No. 930, § 1.3, 7-27-2010]
(a)
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 provisions designed:
(1)
To protect human life and health;
(2)
To minimize expenditure of public money for 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 special flood hazard areas;
(6)
To help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the second
use and development of special flood hazard areas so as to minimize
future flood blight areas;
(7)
To ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is
in a special flood hazard area; and,
(8)
To ensure that those who occupy the special flood hazard areas
assume responsibility for their actions.
[Ord. No. 930, § 1.4, 7-27-2010]
(a)
In order to accomplish its purposes, this article includes methods
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.
