Article 4 — Ojai Municipal Code

§ 9-9.401. Development permits.¶

A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any special flood hazard area established by Section 9-9.302 of Article 3 of this chapter. Applications for development permits shall be made on forms furnished by the Floodplain Administrator and may include, but not be limited to: plans in duplicate, drawn to scale, showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevation of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, fill, the storage of materials, and drainage facilities; and the location of the foregoing. Specifically, the following information shall be required:

(a) The proposed elevation, in relation to the mean sea level, of the lowest floor (including the basement) of all structures; in Zone AO, the elevation of the highest adjacent grade and the proposed elevation of the lowest floor of all structures;
(b) The proposed elevation, in relation to the mean sea level, to which any structure will be floodproofed;
(c) All appropriate certifications listed in subsection (d) of Section 9-9.403 of this article;
(d) A description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of the proposed development; and
(e) For a crawl-space foundation, location and total net area of foundation openings as required in Section 9-9.501(c)(4)(i) in Article 5.
(§ 1, Ord. 655, eff. May 19, 1988, as amended by § 2, Ord. 914, eff. March 24, 2021)

§ 9-9.402. Designation of the Floodplain Administrator.¶

The Building Inspector is hereby appointed to administer and implement this chapter by granting or denying development permits in accordance with its provisions. (§ 1, Ord. 655, eff. May 19, 1988)

§ 9-9.403. Duties and responsibilities of the Floodplain Administrator.¶

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

(a) Permit review.
- (1) Review all development permits to determine that the permit requirements of this chapter have been satisfied including substantial improvement and substantial development of existing structures,
- (2) Review permits for proposed development to assure that all necessary permits have been obtained from those Federal, State, or local governmental agencies from which prior approval is required,
- (3) Determine that the site is reasonably safe from flooding, and
- (4) Determine that the proposed development does not adversely affect the carrying

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City of Ojai, CA

BUILDING REGULATIONS

§ 9-9.403

capacity of areas where base flood elevations have been determined but a floodway has not been designated. For the purposes of this chapter, "adversely affects" shall mean 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;

(b) Use of other base flood data. When the base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with Section 9-9.302 of Article 3 of this chapter, the Floodplain Administrator shall obtain, review, and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a Federal, State, or other source in order to administer Article 5 of this chapter. Any such information shall be submitted to the Council for adoption;
(c) Alteration or relocation of watercourses/changes in base flood elevations. Whenever a watercourse is to be altered or relocated or base flood elevations change due to physical alterations:
- (1) Notify adjacent communities and the State Department of Water Resources prior to such alteration or relocation of a watercourse and submit evidence of such notification to the Federal Insurance Administration, and
- (2) Require that the flood-carrying capacity of the altered or relocated portion of such watercourse is maintained,
- (3) In the case of changes in base flood elevations due to physical alterations within six months of information becoming available or project completion, whichever comes first, submit or assure that the permit applicant submits technical or scientific data to FEMA for a letter of map revision (LOMR). All LOMRs 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 (CLOMRs). Approved CLOMRs allow construction of the proposed flood control project and land preparation as specified in the "start of construction" definition;
(d) Certifications. Obtain and maintain for public inspection and make available as needed:
- (1) The certification required by subsection (1) of subsection (c) of Section 9-9.501 of Article 5 of this chapter (floor elevations),
(2) The certification required by subsection (2) of subsection (c) of Section 9-9.501 of Article 5 of this chapter (elevations in areas of shallow flooding),
- (3) The certification required by subsection (iii) of subsection (3) of subsection (c) of Section 9-9.501 of Article 5 of this chapter (elevation or floodproofing of nonresidential structures),
- (4) The certification required by subsection (i) or (ii) of subsection (4) of subsection (c) of Section 9-9.501 of Article 5 of this chapter (floodproofing standards),
- (5) The certified elevation required by subsection (b) of Section 9-9.503 of Article 5 of this chapter (subdivision standards), and
- (6) The certification required by subsection (a) of Section 9-9.505 of Article 5 of this chapter (floodway encroachments);

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City of Ojai, CA

OJAI CODE

§ 9-9.403

(e) Boundary locations. Make interpretations, where needed, as to the exact location of the boundaries of the special flood hazard areas (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 Article 6 of this chapter; and
(f) Remedy violations. Take action to remedy violations of this chapter as provided in Section 9-9.303 of Article 3 of this chapter.
(§ 1, Ord. 655, eff. May 19, 1988, as amended by § 7, Ord. 844, eff. September 12, 2014, as amended by § 2, Ord. 914, eff. March 24, 2021)

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City of Ojai, CA

BUILDING REGULATIONS

§ 9-9.501