Fairfield Municipal Code Art. III General Provisions

This chapter shall apply to all areas of special flood hazards within the City of Fairfield.

The areas of special flood hazard identified by the Federal Insurance Administration, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a scientific and engineering report entitled "The Flood Insurance Study for the City of Fairfield," dated April 16, 1991, with accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) and Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps (FBFMs) dated April 16, 1991, and September 15, 1993, and all subsequent amendments and/or revisions, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter. The Study, FIRMs and FBFMs are on file at the office of the director of public works, City of Fairfield, City Hall, 1000 Webster Street, Fairfield, California.

(Ord. 98-28, § 3)

No structure or land shall hereafter be constructed, located, extended, converted, or altered without full compliance with the terms of this chapter and other applicable regulations. Violation of the requirements shall constitute a misdemeanor. Nothing herein shall prevent the City Council and/or the Director of Public Works from taking such lawful action as is necessary to prevent or remedy any violation.

(Ord. 2002-17, § 2)

This chapter is not intended to repeal, abrogate, or impair any existing ordinances. However, where this chapter and another ordinance conflict or overlap, whichever imposes the more stringent restrictions shall prevail.

In the interpretation and application of this chapter, all provisions shall be:

(a) Considered as minimum requirements;

(b) Liberally construed in favor of the city council; and,

(c) Deemed neither to limit nor repeal any other powers granted under state statutes.

The degree of flood protection required by this chapter is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on scientific and engineering considerations. Larger floods can and will occur on rare occasions. Flood heights may be increased by manmade or natural causes. This chapter does not imply that land outside the areas of special flood hazards or uses permitted within such areas will be free from flooding or flood damages. This chapter shall not create liability on the part of the City of Fairfield, any officer or employee thereof, or the federal insurance administration, for any flood damages that result reliance on this chapter or any administrative decision made thereunder.

This ordinance and the various parts thereof are hereby declared to be severable. Should any section of this ordinance be declared by the courts to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the ordinance as a whole, or any portion thereof other than the section so declared to be unconstitutional or invalid.

(Ord. No. 2012-14, § 3)