San Diego County Municipal Code Ch. 1 Statutory Authorization, Findings of Fact, Purpose and Methods

The Legislature of the State of California has in Government Code Sections 65302, 65560 and 65800 conferred upon local government units authority to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizenry. This ordinance may be referred to as the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

(Amended by Ord. No. 10631 (N.S.), effective 11-29-19)

(a) The flood hazard areas of the County of San Diego are subject to periodic inundation which results in loss of life and property, health and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services, extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection and relief, and impairment of the tax base, all of which adversely affect the public health, safety and general welfare.

(b) These flood losses are caused by the cumulative effect of obstructions in areas of special flood hazards which increase flood heights and velocities, and when inadequately anchored, damage uses in other areas. Uses that are inadequately floodproofed, elevated or otherwise protected from flood damage also contribute to the flood loss.

(Amended by Ord. No. 10631 (N.S.), effective 11-29-19)

It is the purpose of this ordinance to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare, and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specific areas by provisions designed:

(a) To protect human life and health;

(b) To minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;

(c) To minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;

(d) To minimize prolonged business interruptions;

(e) To minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard;

(f) To help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to minimize future flood blighted areas caused by flood damage;

(g) To ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard; and

(h) To ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions.

(Amended by Ord. No. 10631 (N.S.), effective 11-29-19)

In order to accomplish its purposes this ordinance includes methods and provisions for:

(a) Restricting or prohibiting uses which are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water or erosion hazards, or that which result in damaging increases in erosion or flood heights or velocities;

(b) Requiring that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;

(c) Controlling the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers, which help accommodate or channel flood waters;

(d) Controlling filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase flood damage; and

(e) Preventing or regulating the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert flood waters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas.

(Amended by Ord. No. 10631 (N.S.), effective 11-29-19)