Camarillo Municipal Code Art. III Administration

A flood area development permit (hereinafter "permit") shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard established in Section 16.34.200. Application for a permit shall be made on forms furnished by the director and may include, but not be limited to: plans, in duplicate, to scale showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevation of the area in question including three hundred feet surrounding and adjacent to the area in question; existing and/or proposed structures, fill, storage of materials, drainage facilities; and the location of the foregoing. Applications for permits shall be made at the same time and reviewed in conjunction with other applications for permits or approvals for the development. Specifically, the following information is required:

A. Proposed elevation in relation to "mean sea level as established by the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929" of the lowest habitable floor (including basement) of all structures; in Zone AO elevation of existing grade and proposed elevation of lowest habitable floor of all structures;

B. Proposed elevation in relation to "mean sea level as established by the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929" to which any structure will be floodproofed;

C. Certification by a registered professional engineer that the floodproofing methods for any nonresidential structure meet the floodproofing criteria in Section 16.34.400C3;

D. Description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development; and

E. Submittal of engineering data to satisfy the requirements established in Section 16.34.320A2 through A4.

(Ord. 647 § 1 (part), 1988: Ord. 616 § 1 (part), 1986.)

The director of engineering services ("director") is appointed to administer and implement this chapter by granting or denying permit applications in accordance with its provisions.

(Ord. 647 § 1 (part), 1988: Ord. 616 § 1 (part), 1986.)

The duties and responsibilities of the director shall include, but not be limited to:

A. Permit Review. The director shall review all permit applications to determine if:

1. The permit requirements of this chapter have been satisfied;

2. The site is reasonably safe from flooding:

a. If a proposed building site is in a flood-prone area, the director shall ensure that the provisions of Section 16.34.400 are complied with by the party or parties requesting the development permit, and

b. If a subdivision proposal, including manufactured home parks or subdivision, are in a flood-prone area, the director shall ensure that the provisions of Section 16.34.440 are complied with by the party or parties requesting the development permits;

3. The proposed development adversely affects the flood-carrying capacity of the area of special flood hazard (for purposes of this chapter, "adversely affected" means that the cumulative effect 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), and until a regulatory floodway is designated, new construction will not increase the base flood elevation by more than one foot;

4. The flood discharge exiting the development after construction is more or less than the flood discharge at the location prior to development where downstream impacts are probable;

5. All necessary permits have been received from those governmental agencies from which approval is required by federal or state law, including Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972.

B. Use of Other Base Flood Data. When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with Section 16.34.200, the director shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize the best base flood data available from any source (federal, state or other), such as high water mark(s), floods of record, or private engineering reports, until such data has been provided by the Federal Insurance Administration, in order to administer Article IV of this chapter and provide the developer with an estimated base flood elevation. Any such information shall be submitted to the city council for adoption.

C. Information to be Obtained and Maintained. The director shall obtain and maintain for public inspection and make available as needed for flood insurance policies:

1. The certification required in Sections 16.34.400C1 through C3, 16.34.430 and 16.34.440D.

2. Certification of the elevation of the lowest floor, flood-proofed elevation, or the elevation of the structure's lowest horizontal member is required at that point where the footings are set and slab constructed. Failure to submit elevation certification shall be cause to issue a stop-work order for the project. As-built plans certifying the elevation (based on U.S.G.S., M.S.L.) of the lowest adjacent grade are also required.

3. If fill is used to elevate a structure above the base flood elevation, the permit holder may wish to apply for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA), as set forth in Section 16.34.560.

D. Alteration of Watercourses. Whenever a watercourse is to be altered or relocated, it is the responsibility of the director to:

1. Notify adjacent communities, the Ventura County Flood Control District and the State Coordinating Agency prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse and to send evidence of such notifications to the Federal Insurance Administration;

2. Assure that the flood-carrying capacity within any altered or relocated portion of any watercourse is maintained.

E. Interpretation of Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Boundaries. The director shall provide interpretations, where 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 person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as provided in Section 16.34.500B.

(Ord. 780 § 3, 1993; Ord. 647 § 1 (part), 1988: Ord. 616 § 1 (part), 1986.)

If flood protection measures (levees, dikes, dams or reservoirs) are privately owned, an operation or maintenance plan shall be required of the owner to be on file with the director.

(Ord. 647 § 1 (part), 1988: Ord. 616 § 1 (part), 1986.)

In reviewing development proposals, the planning commission shall consider the following in relation to the proposal; however, no findings are required so long as the information is presented in writing or orally to the body considering the proposal:

A. Whether the proposed development is in or affects a known floodplain;

B. Inform the public of the proposed development by the means required by state law or Titles 18 or 19 of this code for the other required approvals for the development;

C. If the proposal is in a floodplain, whether there are practicable alternatives or sites for the proposed development;

D. Impacts of the activity on the floodplain;

E. Plans to mitigate the impact of the activity.

(Ord. 647 § 1 (part), 1988: Ord. 616 § 1 (part), 1986.)