Fairfield Municipal Code Art. IV Administration

A flood plain development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard established in section 8A.3.2. Application for a flood plain development permit shall be made on forms, furnished by the director of public works, and may include, but not be limited to; plans in duplicate scale showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevation of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, fill, storage of materials, drainage facilities; and the location of the foregoing. Specifically, the following information is required:

(a) Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level, of the lowest floor (including basement) of all structures; in zone A0 elevation of existing grade and proposed elevation of lowest floor of all structures.

(b) Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any structure will be floodproofed;

(c) Certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the floodproofing methods for any nonresidential structure meets the floodproofing criteria in section 8A.5.1.3(c); and,

(d) Description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development.

The director of public works is hereby appointed to administer and implement this ordinance by granting or denying flood plain development permit applications in accordance with its provisions.

The director of public works shall:

(a) Review all flood plain development permit applications to determine that the permit requirements of this ordinance have been satisfied.

(b) Review all flood plain development permit applications to determine that the site is reasonably safe from flooding.

(c) Ensure that all other required state and federal permits have been obtained.

(d) Review all flood plain development permit applications to ensure that the proposed development does not adversely affect the carrying capacity of the area of special flood hazard where base flood elevations have been determined, but a floodway has not been designated.

For purposes of this chapter, "adversely affects" 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.

(e) Review all proposals for the development of 5 parcels or more to assure that the flood discharge exiting the development after construction is equal to or less than the flood discharge at the location prior to development.

(Ord. No. 2002-17, § 3; Ord. No. 2016-05, § 2)

When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with section 8A.3.2, the director of public works shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation data available from a Federal, State or other source, in order to administer Article V of this chapter.

The director of public works shall obtain and maintain for public inspection and make available as needed for flood insurance policies:

(a) The certified elevation required in section 8A.5.1.3(a) (residential);

(b) The certification required in section 8A.5.1.3(b)(shallow flooding);

(c) The floodproofing certification required in section 8A.5.1.3(c) (nonresidential);

(d) The certified elevation required in section 8A.5.4(b) (subdivision); and,

(e) The anchoring certification required in section 8A.5.5.(a) manufactured home).

The director of public works shall:

(a) Notify adjacent communities and the California department of water resources prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse, and submit evidence of such notification to the federal emergency management agency.

(b) Require that the flood carrying capacity of the altered or relocated portion of said watercourse is maintained.

(c) Base Flood Elevation changes due to physical alterations:

(1) Within 6 months of information becoming available or project completion, whichever occurs first, the floodplain administrator shall submit or assure that the permit applicant submits technical or scientific data to FEMA for a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR).

(2) All LOMR’s for flood control projects are approved prior to the issuance of building permits. Building permits must not be issued based on Conditional Letters of Map Revision (CLOMR’s). Approved CLOMR’s allow construction of the proposed flood control project and land preparation as specified in the “Start of Construction” definition.

(Ord. 2016-05, § 3)

The director of public works shall make 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 mapped boundary and actual field conditions.)

The director of public works shall maintain publicly owned flood protection measures, (levees, dikes, dams or reservoirs). If these measures are privately owned, an operation or maintenance plan shall be filed with the director of public works.

The director of public works shall weigh all requests for future flood plain development against the general plan. Consideration of the following elements are required before approval:

(a) Determination if proposed development is in or affects a known flood plain;

(b) Public comment and testimony concerning the proposed activity;

(c) Determine if there is a practicable alternative or site for the proposed activity;

(d) Identify impact of the activity on the flood plain;

(e) Provide a plan to mitigate the impact of the activity with the provisions in section 8A.4.2.1(d).