Los Altos Hills Municipal Code Art. 3 General Provisions

This chapter shall apply to all areas of special flood hazards within the jurisdiction of the Town of Los Altos.

(§ 1, Ord. 416, eff. November 17, 2001)

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 the Town of Los Altos Hills dated March 30, 1977, and accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), dated January 2, 1980, and all subsequent amendments and/or revisions, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter. This FIS and attendant mapping is the minimum area of applicability of this chapter and may be supplemented by studies for other areas which allow implementation of this chapter and which are recommended to the City Council by the Floodplain Administrator. The study and FIRMs are on file at Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California 94022.

(§ 1, Ord. 416, eff. November 17, 2001)

No structure or land shall hereafter be constructed, located, extended, converted, or altered without full compliance with the term of this chapter and other applicable regulations. Violation of the requirements (including violations of conditions and safeguards established in connection with conditions) shall constitute a misdemeanor. Nothing herein shall prevent the City Council from taking such lawful action as is necessary to prevent or remedy any violation.

(§ 1, Ord. 416, eff. November 17, 2001)

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

(§ 1, Ord. 416, eff. November 17, 2001)

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

(a) Considered as minimum requirements;

(b) Liberally construed in favor of the governing body; and

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

(§ 1, Ord. 416, eff. November 17, 2001)

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 man-made 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 ordinance shall not create liability on the part of the Town of Los Altos Hills, any officer or employee thereof, the State of California, or the Federal Insurance Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, for any flood damages that result from reliance on this chapter or any administrative decision lawfully made hereunder.

(§ 1, Ord. 416, eff. November 17, 2001)

The ordinance codified in this chapter and the various parts thereof are hereby declared to be severable. Should any section of the ordinance codified in this chapter 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.

(§ 1, Ord. 416, eff. November 17, 2001)