Etna Municipal Code Ch. 14.06 General Provisions

This title shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of City of Etna.

(Ord. 229, 11/3/2025)

The areas of special flood hazard identified by the Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the "Flood Insurance Study (FIS) for Siskiyou County, California and Incorporated Areas" dated January 19, 2011, with accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps (FBFMs), dated January 19, 2011, and all subsequent amendments and/or revisions, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this title. This FIS and attendant mapping is the minimum area of applicability of this title and may be supplemented by studies for other areas which allow implementation of this title and which are recommended to the city council by the floodplain administrator. The study, FIRMs and FBFMs are on file at Etna City Hall, 442 Main Street, Etna, CA 96027.

(Ord. 229, 11/3/2025)

It is the purpose of this title to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare, and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specific areas by legally enforceable regulations applied uniformly throughout the community to all publicly and privately owned land within flood-prone, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) or flood related erosion areas. These regulations are designed to:

A. Protect human life and health;

B. Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;

C. Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;

D. Minimize prolonged business interruptions;

E. Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains; electric, telephone and sewer lines; and streets and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard;

F. Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to minimize future blighted areas caused by flood damage;

G. Ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard; and

H. Ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions.

(Ord. 229, 11/3/2025)

In order to accomplish its purposes, this title includes regulations to:

A. Restrict or prohibit 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. Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;

C. Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers, which help accommodate or channel floodwaters;

D. Control filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase flood damage; and

E. Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas.

(Ord. 229, 11/3/2025)