Simi Valley Municipal Code Art. 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 the authority to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of their citizenry. Therefore, the City Council of the City of Simi Valley does hereby adopt the following floodplain management regulations.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1268, eff. April 20, 2017)

(a) The flood hazard areas of the City of Simi Valley (City) are subject to periodic inundation which can result 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 potential 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 flood losses.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1268, eff. April 20, 2017)

It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare, and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specific areas by legally enforceable regulations applied uniformly throughout the community to all publicly and privately owned land within flood prone, mudslide (i.e. mudflow) or flood related erosion areas. These regulations are designed to:

(a) To protect human life and health;

(b) To minimize expenditure of public monies 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 requiring that due regard be given to flood risk factors in floodplain development in order to minimize future flood blight areas;

(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.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1268, eff. April 20, 2017)

In order to accomplish its purposes, this chapter 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 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 fill, 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.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1268, eff. April 20, 2017)