Red Bluff Municipal Code Art. IV Administration

(A) A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development begins within any area of special flood hazard. Application for a development permit, subdivision, line adjustment, use permit, rezone, land use reclassification or annexation 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, cuts and fills, storage of materials, drainage facilities; and the location of the foregoing.

(B) Specifically, the following information is required:

(1) A contour map of the site specifying existing ground elevations, base flood elevations, regulatory floodways and a 30-foot setback from the regulatory floodway from the FIS, FIRM or locally produced information adopted by the City Council;

(2) If grading is proposed, a contour map of the site specifying proposed ground elevations, base flood elevations, regulatory floodways and a 30-foot setback from the regulatory floodway from documentation prepared by a qualified professional in a manner consistent with this chapter.

(3) For proposed structures, spot ground elevations at building corners at 20 feet or smaller intervals along the foundation footprint or one-foot contour elevations throughout the building site;

(4) Proposed locations of water supply, sanitary sewer and utilities;

(5) Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level of the lowest floor, including basement, of all structures, or proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any nonresidential structure will be floodproofed, if required in § 26.5-1(C)(2) and FEMA Technical Bulletin 3-93, Nonresidential Floodproofing;

(6) For a crawlspace foundation, the locations and total net area of foundation openings as required in § 26.5-1(C)(3) and FEMA Technical Bulletins 1-93, Openings in Foundation Walls, and 7-93, Wet Floodproofing;

(7) For foundations placed on fill, the locations and height of fill and compaction requirements compacted to 95% using the Standard Proctor Test method;

(8) All appropriate certifications listed in § 26.4-3(D);

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

(10) Foundation details and mobile home skirting details including the size, area and elevation of foundation vents and openings;

(11) Equipment and storage location details including their elevation and susceptibility to water damage; and

(12) The information necessary to show compliance with § 26.5-4.

(`61 Code, § 26.4-1) (Ord. 913, passed 4-18-2000; Am. Ord. 940, passed 5-20-2003)

The Community Development Director is appointed to administer, implement and enforce this chapter by granting or denying development permits in accord with its provisions.

(`61 Code, § 26.4-2) (Ord. 913, passed 4-18-2000; Am. Ord. 939, passed 5-20-2003; Am. Ord. 1018, passed 9-3-2013)

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

(A) Review all development permits to determine that:

(1) Permit requirements of this chapter have been satisfied;

(2) The site is reasonably safe from flooding;

(3) All other required state and federal permits have been obtained; and

(4) The proposed development does not adversely affect the carrying capacity of areas where base flood elevations have been determined but a floodway has not been designated. For purposes of this chapter, adversely affects are the cumulative effect of the proposed development when combined with all other existing and anticipated development will increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot at any point.

(B) (1) When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with § 26.3-2, the Floodplain Administrator shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal or state agency, or other source, in order to administer Article V. Any information shall be submitted to the City Council for adoption.

(2) If no base flood elevation data is available from a federal or state agency or other sources, then a base flood elevation shall be obtained using one of the two methods from the FEMA publication, Managing Floodplain Development In Approximate Zone A Areas A Guide for Obtaining And Developing Base (100-year) Flood Elevations, dated July 1995, and any subsequent revisions, in order to administer Article V of this chapter.

(a) The 100-year or base flood discharge shall be obtained using the appropriate regression equation found in a U.S. Geological Survey publication, or the discharge-drainage area method; and base flood elevation shall be obtained using the Quick-2 computer program developed by FEMA.

(b) The 100-year or base flood discharge shall be obtained using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ HEC-1 computer program; and base flood elevations shall be obtained using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ HEC-RAS computer program.

(C) Notification of other agencies:

(1) Alteration or relocation of a watercourse:

(a) Notify adjacent communities and the California Department of Water Resources prior to alteration or relocation;

(b) Submit evidence of such notification to the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and

(c) Assure that the flood-carrying capacity within the altered or relocated portion of the watercourse is maintained.

(2) Base flood elevation changes due to physical alterations:

(a) Within six months of information becoming available or project completion, whichever comes 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).

(b) Assure that 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 in § 26.2-1.

Such submissions are necessary so that upon confirmation of those physical changes affecting flooding conditions, risk premium rates and floodplain management requirements are based on current data.

(3) Changes in corporate boundaries: Notify FEMA in writing whenever the city’s corporate boundaries have been modified by annexation or other means and include a copy of a map of the community clearly delineating the new corporate limits.

(D) Obtain and maintain for public inspection and make available as needed the following:

(1) Certification required by § 26.5-1(C)(1), lowest floor elevations;

(2) Certification required by § 26.5-11(C)(2), elevation or floodproofing of nonresidential structures;

(3) Certification required by § 26.5-1(C)(3), wet floodproofing standard;

(4) Certification required by § 26.5-2(C), storage standards;

(5) Certification of elevation required by § 26.5-4(A)(2), land subdivision, use reclassification standards;

(6) Certification as required in § 26.5-5, manufactured homes elevation and anchoring;

(7) Certification as required in § 26.5-6, recreational vehicles elevation and anchoring;

(8) Certification required by § 26.5-7, supplemental provisions;

(9) Certification required by § 26.5-8(D), floodway encroachments.

(E) Make interpretations where needed, as to the location of the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard. Where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions, grade and base flood elevations shall be used to determine the boundaries of the special flood hazard area. The person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as provided in § 26.4-4 or Article VI of this chapter.

(F) Take action to remedy violations of this chapter as specified in § 26.3-3.

(`61 Code, § 26.4-3) (Ord. 913, passed 4-18-2000; Am. Ord. 985, passed 4-15-2008)

The Planning Commission of the city shall hear and decide appeals when it is alleged there is an error in any requirement, decision or determination made by the Floodplain Administrator in the enforcement or administration of this chapter. The City Council shall hear and decide written appeals to the decisions of the Planning Commission. Appeals to the City Council must be filed with the City Clerk within ten working days of the date of the Planning Commission’s decision. All appeals shall be submitted in writing and shall not be accepted by the city unless accompanied with the established appeal processing fee. The Planning Commission and city council may approve a refund of all or a portion of appeal fees.

(`61 Code, § 26.4-4) (Ord. 913, passed 4-18-2000)