Torrance Municipal Code Art. 4 Administration

(Amended by O-3802)

A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development, including manufactured homes, begins within any area of special flood hazard established in Section 79.3.2. Application for a development permit 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, fill, grading information showing existing and proposed contours, storage of materials, drainage facilities and the location of the foregoing. Specifically, the following information is required:

a) Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level, of the lowest floor (including basement) of all structures. Base flood elevation. In Zone AO or VO, elevation of highest adjacent grade and proposed elevation of lowest floor of all structures;

b) Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any structure will be floodproofed;

c) All appropriate certifications listed in Section 79.4.3(d);

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

e) Proposed location of water supply, sanitary sewer, and other utilities;

f) Location of regulatory floodway when applicable;

g) Certification from a registered civil engineer or architect that the nonresidential floodproofed building meets the floodproofing criteria in Section 79.5.1(c)(3); and

h) For crawlspace foundation, location and total net area of foundation openings as required in Section 79.5.1(c)(4) and detailed in the FEMA Technical Bulletins 1-93 and 7-93.

The City Engineer is hereby appointed to administer and implement this Chapter by granting or denying development permits in accordance with its provisions.

(Amended by O-3802)

The duties of the Floodplain Administrator shall include but not be limited to:

a) Permit Review.

1. Review all development permits to determine that the permit requirements of this Chapter have been satisfied;

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

3. The site is reasonably safe from flooding;

4. Require until a regulatory floodway is designated, that no new construction, substantial improvements, or other development (including fill) shall be permitted within Zones A1-30 and AE on the community’s FIRM, unless it is demonstrated 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 (1) foot at any point within the community.

b) Use of Other Base Flood Data. When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with Section 79.3.2, the Floodplain Administrator shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a Federal, State or other source, in order to administer Article 5 of this Chapter. Any such information shall be submitted to the City Council of the City of Torrance for adoption.

c) Whenever a watercourse is to be altered or relocated:

1. Notify adjacent communities and the California Department of Water Resources prior to such alteration or relocation of a watercourse, and submit evidence of such notification to the Federal Insurance Administration;

2. Require that the flood carrying capacity of the altered or relocated portion of such watercourse is maintained.

3. Within six (6) months of information becoming available or project completion, whichever comes first, new technical data shall be submitted to the City and notify FEMA of changes in the base flood elevation by submitting technical or scientific data so insurance and floodplain management can be based on current data as required by 44 C.F.R. 65.3.

d) Obtain and maintain for public inspection and made available as needed:

1. The certification required in Section 79.5.1(c)(1), floor elevations;

2. The certification required in Section 79.5.1(c)(2), elevations in areas of shallow flooding;

3. The certification required in Section 79.5.1(c)(3)(C), elevation of floodproofing of nonresidential structures;

4. The certification required in Section 79.5.1(c)(4)(A) or 79.5.1(c)(4)(B), wet floodproofing standard;

5. The certification elevation required in Section 79.5.3(b), subdivision standards;

6. The certification required in Section 79.5.6(a), floodway encroachments;

7. The reports required in Section 79.5.7(f), coastal construction standards.

e) Make interpretations where needed, as to the exact location of the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazards (for example, 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 Article 6 of this Chapter.

f) Take Action to Remedy Violations of this Chapter as Specified in Section 79.3.3.

1. Be floodproofed so that below the base flood level the structure is watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water;

2. Have structural components capable of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and effects of buoyancy; and

3. Be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect that the standards of this subsection are satisfied. Such certifications shall be provided to the Floodplain Administrator.

g) Require, for all new construction and substantial improvements, that fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are subject to flooding shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters. Designs for meeting this requirement must either be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect or meet or exceed the following minimum criteria:

1. Either a minimum of two (2) openings having a total net area of not less than one (1) square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding shall be provided. The bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one (1) foot above grade. Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves or other coverings or devices; provided, that they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters; or

2. Be certified to comply with a local floodproofing standard approved by the Federal Insurance Administration.

h) Manufactured homes shall also meet the standards in Section 79.5.4.