14.22.010 - Statutory authorization.

The Legislature of the State of Washington has delegated the responsibility to local governmental units to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizenry. RCW 36.70A.060 and RCW 36.70A.170 provides for the designation and regulation of frequently flooded areas, and Chapter 86.16 RCW provides for the administration of National Flood Insurance Program regulation requirements by local governments. This chapter as adopted and amended shall be known as the Mason County flood damage prevention ordinance.

(Ord. 87-08 Attach. A (part), § 1.1, 2008: Ord. 81-07, Attach. A, § 1.1, 2007: Ord. 9-03, Attach. B8, § 1.1, 2003: Ord. 10-02, Attach. B, § 1.1, 2002: Ord. 16-00, Attach. B, § 1.1, 2000: Ord. 59-91, § 1.1, 1991).

14.22.020 - Purpose.

(a)

Background. The flood hazard areas of Mason 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. These flood losses could be exacerbated 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 floodproofed, elevated, or otherwise protected from flood damage also contribute to the flood loss.

Mason County has prepared this flood damage prevention ordinance to implement comprehensive flood damage reduction measures that are necessary for public health safety and welfare and that allow property owners to protect their property. Additional information about the Skokomish River valley has been developed through recent studies, and such data is relevant to this chapter. Further studies in the Skokomish River floodplain are currently being undertaken under the authority of the Army Corps of Engineers.

(b)

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

(1)

To protect human life, health and property;

(2)

To minimize expenditure of public money and costly flood damage control projects;

(3)

To minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;

(4)

To minimize prolonged business and farming interruptions;

(5)

To minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric telephone and sewer lines, streets, and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard;

(6)

To 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 flood blight areas;

(7)

To ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard; and

(8)

To ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard participate, along with government, in assuming responsibility for their actions.

(9)

To allow individuals to protect their life, health, and property when it is done in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

(10)

Implement applicable recommendations of Skokomish River Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan.

(11)

Provide for continued eligibility for National Flood Insurance Program.

(Ord. 87-08 Attach. A (part), § 1.2, 2008: Ord. 81-07, Attach. A, § 1.2, 2007: Ord. 9-03, Attach. B8, § 1.2, 2003: Ord. 10-02, Attach. B, § 1.2, 2002: Ord. 16-00, Attach. B, §§ 1.2, 1.3, 2000: Ord. 59-91, §§ 1.2, 1.3, 1991).

14.22.030 - Methods of reducing flood losses.

In order to accomplish its purposes, this chapter provides regulatory methods and provisions for:

(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 in 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 protection barriers, which help accommodate or channel floodwaters;

(4)

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

(5)

Preventing or regulating the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert floodwaters or may increase flood hazards in other areas;

(6)

Controlling excessive erosion by constructing sound erosion control structures and obtaining appropriate permits and exemptions from all applicable local, state, and federal jurisdictions; and

(7)

Implementing the recommendations of adopted flood hazard studies and plans.

(Ord. 87-08 Attach. A (part), § 1.3, 2008: Ord. 81-07, Attach. A, § 1.3, 2007: Ord. 9-03, Attach. B, § 1.3, 2003: Ord. 10-02, Attach. B, § 1.3, 2002).