Plumas County Municipal Code Art. 2 Administration

The areas of special flood hazard identified by the Federal Insurance Administration of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps dated September 24, 1984, and all subsequent amendments and revisions and any subsequent Flood Insurance Study, are hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. The areas of special flood hazard are the minimum area to which the provisions of this chapter shall apply. The County shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state, or other source as criteria for requiring that new construction, substantial improvements, or other man-made changes in areas of special flood hazard meet the standards of this chapter.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. 98-902, eff. September 10, 1998)

The County Engineer, the Building Official, the Director of Environmental Health and the Planning Director may make interpretations where needed, as to the exact location of the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard, including where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. 98-902, eff. September 10, 1998)

The provisions of this chapter are not intended to repeal or in any way interfere with other existing laws, ordinances, regulations or permits. The application of the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be only the minimum requirements.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. 98-902, eff. September 10, 1998)

(a) The County Engineer shall have the responsibility and authority to implement the following commitments made under Section 59.22(a) of 44 Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1:

(1) A commitment to recognize and duly evaluate flood hazards in all official actions in the areas having special flood hazards and to take other such official action reasonably necessary to carry out the objectives of the National Flood Insurance Program authorized by 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.; and

(2) A commitment to:

(i) Assist the Federal Insurance Administrator at his request in his delineation of the limits of the areas having special flood hazards;

(ii) Provide such information concerning present uses and occupancy of the floodplain as the Federal Insurance Administrator may request;

(iii) Maintain for public inspection and furnish upon request, for the determination of applicable flood insurance risk premium rates within all areas having special flood hazards identified on a Flood Hazard Boundary Map or Flood Insurance Rate Map, any certificates of flood proofing, and information on the elevation, in relation to mean sea level, of the level of the lowest floor, including basement, of all new or substantially improved structures, whether or not such structures contain a basement, and if the structure has been floodproofed, the elevation, in relation to mean sea level, to which the structure was floodproofed;

(iv) Cooperate with federal, state, and local agencies and private firms which undertake to study, survey, map, and identify floodplain areas, and to cooperate with neighboring communities with respect to the management of adjoining floodplain areas in order to prevent aggravation of existing hazards; and

(v) Upon occurrence, notify the Federal Insurance Administrator in writing whenever the boundaries of the community have been modified by annexation or the community has otherwise assumed or no longer has authority to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations for a particular area, including within such notification a copy of a map of the community suitable for reproduction, clearly delineating the new corporate limits or new area for which the community has assumed or relinquished floodplain management regulatory authority.

(b) The County Engineer shall have the responsibility to submit a report as required by Section 59.22(b)(2) of 44 Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 1, concerning the community participation in the National Flood Insurance Program authorized by 42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq., including, but not limited to the development and implementation of floodplain management regulations, which report shall be submitted annually or biennially as determined by the Federal Insurance Administrator.

(c) The County Engineer shall maintain for public inspection all certifications required by this chapter and Section 9-3.309 of Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 9 of this Code.

(d) The procedures for developing base flood elevations in Approximate Zone A Areas shall be those set forth in the Federal Emergency Management Agency publication "Managing Floodplain Development in Approximate Zone A Areas; A Guide for Obtaining and Developing Base (100-year) Flood Elevations" as the simplified and detailed methods for developing base flood elevations. A copy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency publication "Managing Floodplain development in Approximate Zone A Areas; A Guide for Obtaining and Developing Base (100-year) Flood Elevations" shall be maintained in the office of the County Engineer and shall be available for inspection and reference.

(e) The County Engineer shall notify adjacent communities and the California Department of Water Resources of development permits for alteration or relocation of a watercourse before alteration or relocation. The County Engineer shall transmit to the Federal Insurance Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency evidence of such notification. The County Engineer shall assure that the flood carrying capacity within the altered or relocated portion of the watercourse is maintained.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. 98-902, eff. September 10, 1998)

An application for a development permit for any man-made change to real estate in an area of special flood hazard shall include the following information:

(a) The proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level of the lowest floor of all structures; or, if in zone AO, elevation of highest adjacent grade and proposed elevation of lowest floor;

(b) The proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any nonresidential structure would be floodproofed if required by Section 8-17.301(c)(2);

(c) All appropriate certifications listed in Article 3 of this chapter and Section 9-3.309 of Article 3 of Title 9 of this Code;

(d) A description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of the proposed man-made changes to real estate;

(e) A proposed method and means, subject to the approval of the Building Official, to verify the location of the man-made change to real estate;

(f) And an application for a development permit for any man made change to real estate in a 100-year flood hazard area shall include an engineered analysis based on a uniform procedure prescribed by the County Engineer that has been completed, submitted to the County Engineer, reviewed and approved by the County Engineer, and copies thereof provided to the County Engineer, the Planning Director and the Building Official.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. 98-902, eff. September 10, 1998, as amended by § 1, Ord. 01-945, eff. June 8, 2001, and § 2 (Exh. A), Ord. 01-961, eff. December 19, 2001)