22-19 - Amend Chapter 1308 flood damage prevention following FEMA flood zone update - ordinance

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the City of Lakewood. (b) Findings of Fact. The City has special flood hazard areas that are subject to periodic inundation which may result in loss of life and prop- erty, health and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmen- tal services, extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection and relief, and impairment of the tax base. Additionally, structures that are inadequately elevated, floodproofed, or otherwise protected from flood damage also contribute to the flood loss. In order to minimize the threat of such damages and to achieve the purposes hereinafter set forth, these regulations are adopted. (c) Statement of Purpose. It is the purpose of these regulations to pro- mote the public health, safety and general welfare, and to: (1) Protect human life and health; (2) Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control pro- jects; (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, streets and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard; (6) Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the proper use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to protect property and minimize future flood blight areas; (7) Ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions; (8) Minimize the impact of development on adjacent properties within and near flood prone areas; (9) Ensure that the flood storage and conveyance functions of the floodplain are maintained; (10) Minimize the impact of development on the natural, beneficial values of the floodplain; (11) Prevent floodplain uses that are either hazardous or environmen- tally incompatible; and (12) Meet community participation requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program. (d) Methods of Reducing Flood Loss. In order to accomplish its pur- poses, these regulations include methods and provisions for: (1) Restricting or prohibiting uses which are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water hazards, or which result in damaging increases 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 flood waters; (4) Controlling filling, grading, dredging, excavating, and other devel- opment which may increase flood damage; and, (5) Preventing or regulating the construction of flood barriers, which will unnaturally divert flood, waters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas. (e) Lands to Which These Regulations Apply. These regulations shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of the City as identified in subsection (f) of this section, including any addi- tional areas of special flood hazard annexed by the City. 22