18A.50.050 Interpretation of FIRM boundaries.
A. The City Engineer shall interpret the exact location of the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard, where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions.
B. Any person contesting a flood area boundary may appeal the interpretation as provided in this title.
C. An appeal of the location of a flood area boundary shall consider all technical evaluations, all relevant factors, standards specified in other sections of this title, and:
1. The danger that material may be swept onto other lands to the injury of others.
2. The danger potential to life and property due to flooding or erosion damage.
3. The susceptibility of the proposed facility and its contents to flood damage and the effect of such damage on the individual owner.
4. The importance of the services provided by the proposed facility to the community.
5. The necessity to the facility of a waterfront location, where applicable.
6. The availability of alternative locations for the proposed use which are not subject to flooding or erosion damage.
7. The compatibility of the proposed use with existing and anticipated development;
8. The relationship of the proposed use to the comprehensive plan for that area.
9. The safety of access to the property in times of flood for ordinary and emergency vehicles.
10. The expected heights, velocity, duration, rate of rise, and sediment transport of the floodwaters and the effects of wave action, if applicable, expected at the site.
11. The costs of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions, including maintenance and repair of public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical, water systems, streets and bridges.
D. The City may attach such conditions to the granting of variances hereunder as deemed necessary to further the purposes of this article.
E. The City shall maintain records of all appeal actions and report any variances to FEMA upon request.
F. All requests to FEMA to revise or change the flood hazard data, including requests for a letter of map revision and a conditional letter of map revision shall be reviewed by the administrative officials prior to submittal to FEMA.
1. The administrative officials shall not sign any community acknowledgment form for any requests based on filling or other development, unless the applicant for the letter documents that such filling or development is in compliance with this title.
2. The administrative officials shall not approve a request to revise or change a floodway delineation until FEMA has issued a conditional letter of map revision that approves the change.
G. If an applicant disagrees with the regulatory data prescribed by this title, he/she may submit a detailed technical study needed to replace existing data with better data in accordance with FEMA mapping guidelines. If the data in question are shown on the published FIRM, the submittal must also include a request to FEMA for a conditional letter of map revision.
H. All new hydrologic and hydraulic flood studies conducted pursuant to this article shall consider future conditions and the cumulative effects from anticipated future land use changes. This review shall be in accordance with Regional Guidance for Hydrologic and Hydraulic Studies in Support of the Model Ordinance for Floodplain Management under the National Flood Insurance Program and the Endangered Species Act, FEMA Region X, 2012. [Ord. 726 § 2 (Exh. B), 2019.]