The city manager is hereby appointed as the floodplain administrator, and is responsible for administering and implementing the provisions of this article and other appropriate sections of 44 CFR (including the National Flood Insurance Program regulations) pertaining to floodplain management.
(Ordinance 613-10 adopted 3/8/10)
The duties and responsibilities of the city manager include, but are not limited to, the following: notify, in riverine situations, adjacent communities and the state coordinating agency, which in this case is the state water development board, prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse. In addition, the city manager is responsible for submitting evidence of such notification to the Federal Insurance Administration.
(Ordinance 613-10 adopted 3/8/10)
The duties and responsibilities of the director of public works include, but are not limited to, the following: assure that maintenance is provided within the limited altered or relocation portion of said watercourse so that the flood carrying capacity is not diminished.
(Ordinance 613-10 adopted 3/8/10)
The duties and responsibilities of the building inspector include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) 
Maintain and hold open for public inspection all records pertaining to the provisions of this article.
(2) 
Review permit applications to determine whether proposed building site projects, including the placement of manufactured homes, will be reasonably safe from flooding.
(3) 
Review, approve, or deny any and all applications for development permits submitted in accordance with this article.
(4) 
Review permits for proposed development to assure that all necessary permits have been obtained from the federal, state or local governmental agencies (including section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendment of 1972, 33 U.S.C. 1334) from which prior approval is required.
(5) 
Where interpretation is needed as to the exact location of the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazards (for example, where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions), the building inspector shall make the necessary interpretation.
(6) 
When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with section 3.05.007, the building inspector shall obtain, review, and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation data and floodway data available from a federal, state, or other source, in order to administer the provisions of division 3.
(7) 
When a regulatory floodway has not been designated, the building inspector must require that no new construction, substantial improvements, or other development (including fill) shall be permitted with zones A1-30 and AE on the community’s FIRM, unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effects of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot at any point within the community.
(Ordinance 613-10 adopted 3/8/10)
(a) 
Application for a development permit shall be presented to the building inspector on forms furnished by him/her and may include, but not limited to, plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the location, dimensions and elevation of proposed landscape alterations, existing and proposed structures, including the placement of manufactured homes, and the location of the foregoing in relation to areas of special flood hazard and a drainage report prepared and sealed by a registered professional engineer (Texas). Additionally, the following information is required for the application:
(1) 
Elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new and substantially improved structures;
(2) 
Elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any nonresidential structure shall be floodproofed;
(3) 
A certificate from a registered professional engineer or architect that the nonresidential floodproofed structure meets the floodproofing criteria of section 3.05.082(2);
(4) 
Description of the extent to which any watercourse or natural drainage will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development;
(5) 
Maintain a record of all such information in accordance with section 3.05.042.
(b) 
The following items outline the minimum amount of information that must be included in a drainage report:
(1) 
General location and description of project.
(2) 
General description of the property.
(3) 
Description of the drainage basin in which the project is located.
(4) 
Discussion of the drainage criteria used in the analysis of the project; specifically discuss the development criteria reference and constraints.
(5) 
Discussion of the hydrological calculations and methods used in the analysis of the project. Specifically:
(A) 
Identify the runoff calculation method used to determine the runoff for existing and developed conditions.
(B) 
Determine the runoff calculations for the following storm frequencies: 5-yr., 10-yr., 25-yr., 50-yr., and 100-yr.
(C) 
Detention shall be provided for the difference between pre vs. post development runoff calculated for the 100-yr. storm, unless the engineer determines that proximity to the primary drainage system would allow the runoff to enter the system ahead of the peak in the hydrograph.
(D) 
Identify detention discharge and storage calculations, if required.
(6) 
Hydraulic criteria.
(A) 
Identify various capacity references.
(B) 
Identify detention/retention outlet type, if any.
(7) 
Drainage facility design.
(A) 
Discuss general concepts.
(i) 
Existing and proposed drainage patterns.
(ii) 
How additional runoff will affect adjacent property owners.
(B) 
Specific details.
(i) 
Discuss drainage problems encountered and solutions identified at specific design points.
(ii) 
Discuss detention facilities, if any.
(8) 
Conclusions.
Discuss the effectiveness of existing and proposed drainage facilities to control storm runoff during all storm events and how this will affect the adjacent property owners and downstream drainage structures/facilities.
(9) 
Certification.
The drainage report shall be prepared by or under the supervision of a registered professional engineer (Texas). The report shall contain a certification sheet that has been signed and sealed by the engineer of record stating that the proposed development of the project site, which includes the drainage improvements found in this report, will have little to no impact on adjacent property owners and downstream drainage structures/facilities.
(10) 
Attachments.
(A) 
Attach all graphs, charts, tables, etc. that are needed to document information provided in the drainage report.
(B) 
Drainage plan.
Provide a drawing that shows the existing/proposed drainage improvements that are discussed in the drainage report. The plan, at a minimum, shall show the following:
(i) 
Existing and proposed contours (maximum of 2' intervals).
(ii) 
Property lines, easements, streets, and existing drainage facilities.
(iii) 
Overall drainage area boundary and sub-area boundaries.
(iv) 
Details of detention/retention storage facilities and outlet works.
(v) 
Proposed outfall points for runoff of the developed site. Each point should be labeled and show the existing and proposed drainage improvements.
(vi) 
All existing and proposed drainage improvements.
(c) 
Approval or denial of a development permit by the building inspector shall be based on all the provisions of this article and the following relevant factors:
(1) 
The danger to life and property due to flooding or erosion damage;
(2) 
The susceptibility of the proposed facility and its contents to flood damage and the effect of such damage on the individual owner;
(3) 
The danger that materials might be swept onto other lands to the injury of others;
(4) 
The compatibility of the proposed use with existing and anticipated developments;
(5) 
The safety of access to the property in times of flood for ordinary and emergency vehicles;
(6) 
The cost of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions, including maintenance and repair of streets, bridges, public utilities, and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical, and water systems;
(7) 
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;
(8) 
The necessity to the facilities of a waterfront location, where applicable;
(9) 
The availability of alternative locations, which are not subject to flooding or erosion damage, but are still compatible with the proposed use;
(10) 
The relationship of the proposed use to the comprehensive plan for that area.
(Ordinance 613-10 adopted 3/8/10)
(a) 
The appeal board as established by the community shall hear and render judgment on requests for variances from the requirements of this article.
(b) 
The appeal board shall hear and render judgment on an appeal only when it is alleged there is an error in any requirement, decision, or determination made by the building inspector in the enforcement or administration of this article.
(c) 
Any person or persons aggrieved by the decision of the appeal board may appeal such decision in a court of competent jurisdiction.
(d) 
The building inspector shall maintain a record of all actions involving an appeal and shall report variances to the Federal Emergency Management Agency upon request.
(e) 
Variances may be issued for the reconstruction, rehabilitation, or restoration of structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places or the state inventory of historic places, without regard to the procedures set forth in the remainder of this article.
(f) 
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 the relevant factors in section 3.05.045(c) of this article have been fully considered. As the lot size increases beyond the one-half acre, the technical justification required for issuing the variance increases.
(g) 
Upon consideration of the factors noted above and the intent of this article, the appeal board may attach such conditions to the granting of variances as it deems necessary to further the purpose and objectives of this article, as listed in section 3.05.003.
(h) 
Variances shall not be issued within any designated floodway if any increase in flood levels during the base flood discharge would result.
(i) 
Variances may be issued for the repair or rehabilitation of historic structures upon a determination that the proposed repair or rehabilitation will not preclude the structure’s continued designation as a historic structure and the variance is the minimum necessary to preserve the historic character and design of the structure.
(j) 
Prerequisites for granting variances:
(1) 
Variances shall only be issued upon a determination that the variance is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief.
(2) 
Variances shall only be issued upon:
(A) 
Showing a good and sufficient cause;
(B) 
A determination that failure to grant the variance would result in exceptional hardship to the applicant; and
(C) 
A determination that the granting of a variance will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, nuisances, fraud on or victimization of the public or conflict with existing local laws or ordinances.
(3) 
Any applicant granted a variance shall be given written notice that the structure will be permitted to be built with the lowest floor elevation below the base flood elevation, and that the cost of flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk resulting from the reduced lowest floor elevation.
(k) 
Variances may be issued by a community for new construction and substantial improvements and for other development necessary for the conduct of a functionally dependent use provided that:
(1) 
The criteria outlined in subsections (a)(i) are met; and
(2) 
The structure or other development is protected by methods that minimize flood damages during the base flood and create no additional threats to public safety.
(Ordinance 613-10 adopted 3/8/10)