Ventura County Municipal Code Art. 1 Preliminary Matters

This Chapter is enacted pursuant to the police power of the County of Ventura, granted by the people of the State of California through Section 7 of Article XI of the California Constitution, and in conformity with the general laws of the State.

(Ord. No. 4521, § 1.1, 3-27-2018)

(a) The flood hazard areas of Ventura County are subject to flooding which may 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) Such flood losses are caused by uses that are inadequately elevated, floodproofed, or protected from flood damage. The cumulative effect of obstructions in areas of special flood hazards which increase flood heights and velocities also contributes to flood losses.

(Ord. No. 4521, § 1.2, 3-27-2018)

This Chapter is intended to meet the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program. It is the purpose of this Chapter 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 or flood related erosion areas. These regulations are 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; electric, telephone and sewer lines; and streets and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard;

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

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

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

(Ord. No. 4521, § 1.3, 3-27-2018)

In order to accomplish its purposes, this Chapter includes regulations to:

(a) Restrict or prohibit 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) Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;

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

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

(e) Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas.

(Ord. No. 4521, § 1.4, 3-27-2018)

The ordinance from which this Chapter derives shall be known and may be cited as the Ventura County Floodplain Management Ordinance.

(Ord. No. 4521, § 1.5, 3-27-2018)