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A. The purposes of this chapter are to protect human life and health, promote the public health, safety, and general welfare, and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specific areas by imposing regulations in all publicly and privately owned land within flood-prone, mudslide (i.e., mudflow) or flood-related erosion areas.

B. The specific purposes of this chapter are to:

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

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

3. Minimize prolonged business interruptions;

4. 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;

5. 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;

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

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

C. The regulations imposed by this chapter are intended to accomplish its purposes by:

1. 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;

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

3. Controlling the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers, which help accommodate or channel floodwaters;

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

5. Preventing or regulating the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas. (Ord. 7108-NS § 1 (part), 2009)