Redondo Beach Municipal Code Art. 4 Administration

The City Engineer is hereby designated as the Floodplain Administrator and appointed to administer, implement, and enforce this chapter by granting or denying development permits in accordance with its provisions.

(§ 1, Ord. 2512 c.s., eff. September 15, 1988, as amended by § 1, Ord. 2692 c.s., eff. May 20, 1993, and § 1, Ord. 3026 c.s., eff. October 16, 2008)

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

(a) Permit review. Review all development permits to determine that:

(1) All permit requirements of this chapter have been satisfied, including determination of substantial improvement and substantial damage of existing structures;

(2) All other required State and Federal permits have been obtained;

(3) The site is reasonably safe from flooding;

(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" 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 within the City; and

(5) All Letters of Map Revision 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.

(b) Development of substantial improvement and substantial damage procedures.

(1) Using FEMA publication FEMA 213, "Answers to Questions about Substantially Damaged Buildings," develop detailed procedures for identifying and administering requirements for substantial improvement and substantial damage, to include defining "market value."

(2) Assure procedures are coordinated with other departments/divisions and implemented by community staff.

(c) Review, use and development of other base flood data. When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with Section 9-12.302 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 or State agency, or other source, in order to administer Article 5 of this chapter. A base flood elevation shall be obtained using one of two methods from the FEMA publication, FEMA 265, "Managing Floodplain Development in Approximate Zone A Areas—A Guide for Obtaining and Developing Base (100-year) Flood Elevations" dated July 1995.

(d) Notification of other agencies.

(1) Whenever a watercourse is to be altered or relocated:

a. Notify adjacent communities and the State Department of Water Resources prior to alteration or relocation;

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

c. Require that the flood carrying capacity within the altered or relocated portion of said 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 require that the permit applicant submits technical or scientific data to FEMA for a Letter of Map Revision.

b. All Letters of Map Revision 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.

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 City boundaries: Notify FEMA in writing whenever the City's boundaries have been modified by annexation or other means and include a copy of a map of the community clearly delineating the new City limits.

(e) Documentation of floodplain development. Obtain and maintain for public inspection and make available as needed the following:

(1) Certification required by Sections 9-12.501(c)(1) and 9-12.504 of this chapter (lowest floor elevations);

(2) Certification required by Section 9-12.501(c)(2) of this chapter (elevation or floodproofing of nonresidential structures);

(3) Certification required by Section 9-12.501(c)(3) of this chapter (wet floodproofing standard);

(4) Certification of elevation required by Section 9-12.503(a)(3) of this chapter (subdivisions and other proposed development standards);

(5) Certification required by Section 9-12.506(b) of this chapter (floodway encroachments);

(6) Information required by Section 9-12.507(f) of this chapter (coastal construction standards);

(7) Biennial Reports required to be completed and submitted to FEMA; and

(8) Records of all variance actions, including justification for their issuance, required to be included in the biennial report submitted to FEMA.

(f) Map determination. Make interpretations where needed, as to the exact 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. The person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as provided in Section 9-12.404 of this chapter.

(g) Remedial action. Take action to remedy violations of this chapter as specified in Section 9-12.303 of this chapter.

(h) Planning. Assure community's General Plan is consistent with floodplain management objectives herein.

(i) Non-conversion of enclosed areas below the lowest floor. To ensure that the areas below the BFE shall be used solely for parking vehicles, limited storage, or access to the building and not be finished for use as human habitation without first becoming fully compliant with the provisions of this chapter, the Floodplain Administrator shall:

(1) Determine which applicants for new construction and/or substantial improvements have fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are five feet or higher; and

(2) Enter into a "Non-Conversion Agreement for Construction Within Flood Hazard Areas" or equivalent with the City of Redondo Beach. The agreement shall be recorded with the office of the Los Angeles County Recorder as a deed restriction. The non-conversion agreement shall be in a form acceptable to the Floodplain Administrator after inspecting any area of a structure below the base flood elevation to ensure compliance upon prior notice of at least 72 hours.

(§ 1, Ord. 2512 c.s., eff. September 15, 1988, as amended by § 1, Ord. 3026 c.s., eff. October 16, 2008)

A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development, including manufactured homes, within any area of special flood hazard established in Section 9-12.302 of this chapter. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the City of Redondo Beach. The applicant shall provide the following minimum information:

(a) Plans in duplicate, drawn to scale, showing:

(1) Location, dimensions, and elevation of the area in question, existing or proposed structures, storage of materials and equipment and their location;

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

(3) Grading information showing existing and proposed contours, any proposed fill, and drainage facilities;

(4) Location of the regulatory floodway when applicable;

(5) Base flood elevation information as specified in Sections 9-12.302 and 9-12.402(c) of this chapter;

(6) Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level, of the lowest floor (including basement) of all structures; and

(7) Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any nonresidential structure will be floodproofed, as required in Section 9-12.501(c)(2) of this chapter and detailed in FEMA Technical Bulletin TB 3-93.

(b) Certification from a registered civil engineer or architect that the nonresidential floodproofed building meets the floodproofing criteria in Section 9-12.501(c)(2) of this chapter.

(c) For a crawl-space foundation, location and total net area of foundation openings as required in Section 9-12.501(c)(3) of this chapter and detailed in FEMA Technical Bulletins 1-93 and 7-93.

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

(e) All appropriate certifications listed in Section 9-12.402(e) of this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 2512 c.s., eff. September 15, 1988, as amended by § 1, Ord. 3026 c.s., eff. October 16, 2008)

The Council 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.

(§ 1, Ord. 3026 c.s., eff. October 16, 2008)