29.25.060 Flood hazard areas.
(1) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to promote the public health, safety, and welfare of the community by recognizing potential hazards that may be caused by development in areas where severe flooding is anticipated to occur. The intent of this section is to assist with minimizing public and private losses due to flood hazards by avoiding development in hazard areas within the shoreline jurisdiction and/or implementing protective measures contained in this SMP.
(2) Classification. The following categories of frequently flooded areas are established for the purposes of classification:
(a) Floodway. Floodways are defined as the channel of a stream and adjacent land areas, which are required to carry and discharge flood waters or flood flows of any river or stream associated with a regulatory flood.
(b) Special Flood Hazard Areas. The area adjoining the floodway, which is subject to a one percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year as determined by the Federal Insurance Administration.
(c) Floodplain. The floodway and special flood hazard areas.
These flood areas have been delineated based on studies completed by FEMA for the National Flood Insurance Program.
(3) Designation.
(a) All areas within the City meeting the frequently flooded designation criteria of subsection (2) of this section are hereby designated critical areas and are subject to the provisions of this section.
(b) The approximate location and extent of frequently flooded areas are shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) prepared for the City of Pasco and Franklin County by FEMA, as part of the National Flood Insurance Program.
(4) Management. PMC Title 16, Buildings and Construction, and Chapter 24.20 PMC, Flood Hazard Protection regulate proposed activities in all areas of special flood hazards. If allowed, any structures permitted in the designated flood areas are subject to the floodproofing regulations provided in PMC Title 16 and Chapter 24.20 PMC.
(5) Floodways. Special flood hazard areas established in this section are areas that are extremely hazardous due to the velocity of flood waters, which carry debris, potential projectiles, and erosion potential. The following provisions apply to special flood hazard areas:
(a) Prohibit encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other development unless certification by a registered professional engineer or architect is provided demonstrating that encroachments shall not result in an increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
(b) If subsection (5)(a) of this section is satisfied, all new construction and substantial improvements shall comply with all applicable flood hazard reduction provisions of Chapter 24.20 PMC. [Ord. 4314 § 2, 2016; Code 1970 § 29.01.550.]