Trinity County Municipal Code Art. I Introduction

The Legislature of the State of California has in Government Code Section 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 its citizenry. Therefore, the board of supervisors of Trinity County does ordain as follows.

(Ord. No. 315-776A, § 1, 10-20-09)

A. The flood hazard areas of Trinity County 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 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 flood proofed, elevated or otherwise protected from damage also contribute to the flood loss.

(Ord. No. 315-776A, § 1, 10-20-09)

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

A. Protect human life and health;

B. Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;

C. Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;

D. Minimize prolonged business interruptions;

E. Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities, such as water and gas mains, electricity, telephone, sewer lines, streets and bridges located in areas of special flood hazards;

F. Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for sound use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to minimize future flood blight areas;

G. Ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard;

H. Ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions; and

I. Minimize impacts to fish and wildlife resources that are associated with floodplains where such resources do not conflict with public health and safety.

(Ord. No. 315-776A, § 1, 10-20-09)

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, flood heights or velocities;

B. Requiring that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities that 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 to accommodate flood waters and maintain fish and wildlife resources;

D. Controlling filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase flood damage; and

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

(Ord. No. 315-776A, § 1, 10-20-09)