The Legislature of the State, in Sections 65302, 65560, and 65800 of the Government Code of the State, has conferred upon local government units authority to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of their citizenry. Therefore, the City does hereby adopt the following floodplain management regulations.
(§ 1, Ord. 655, eff. May 19, 1988, as amended by § 2, Ord. 914, eff. March 24, 2021)
(a) 
The flood hazard areas of the City are subject to periodic inundation which results in loss of life and property, health and safety hazards, the 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) 
Such flood losses are caused by the cumulative effect of obstructions in areas of special flood hazard which increase flood heights and velocities and, when inadequately anchored, damage uses in other areas. Uses which are inadequately floodproofed, elevated, or otherwise protected from flood damage also contribute to flood losses.
(§ 1, Ord. 655, eff. May 19, 1988)
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:
(a) 
To protect human life and health;
(b) 
To minimize expenditures of public moneys for costly flood control projects;
(c) 
To minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
(d) 
To minimize prolonged business interruptions;
(e) 
To minimize damages 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;
(f) 
To help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the reuse and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to minimize future flood blight areas;
(g) 
To ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard; and
(h) 
To ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions.
(§ 1, Ord. 655, eff. May 19, 1988, as amended by § 2, Ord. 914, eff. March 24, 2021)
In order to accomplish its purposes, this chapter includes methods and provisions for:
(a) 
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 flood heights or velocities;
(b) 
Requiring that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damages at the time of initial construction;
(c) 
Controlling the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers which help accommodate or channel floodwaters;
(d) 
Controlling filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase flood damages; and
(e) 
Preventing or regulating the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas.
(§ 1, Ord. 655, eff. May 19, 1988)