15.15.140 Duties and responsibilities of the floodplain administrator

15.15.140 Duties and responsibilities of the floodplain administrator.

Duties of the floodplain administrator shall include, but are not limited to:

1. Review all development permits to determine that the permit requirements of this chapter have been satisfied.

2. Review all development permits to determine that they have obtained all necessary permits from all federal, state, or local governmental agencies from which prior approval is required.

3. Review all development permits to determine if any part of the proposed development is located in the floodway. If any part of the proposed development is located in the floodway, ensure that the encroachment provisions of TMC 15.15.190 are met.

B. Use of Other Base Flood Data. When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with TMC 15.15.070, Basis for establishing the areas of special flood hazard, the floodplain administrator shall obtain, review, and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state or other source, to administer TMC 15.15.180, Specific standards, and 15.15.190, Floodways.

C. Information is to be obtained and maintained and shall be made available for public inspection as needed.

1. Obtain, record, and maintain the actual elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (including basements) and all attendant utilities of all new or substantially improved structures where base flood elevation (BFE) data is provided through the flood insurance study (FIS), flood insurance rate map (FIRM), or obtained in accordance with TMC 15.15.170(E).

2. Obtain and record the elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the natural grade of the building site for a structure prior to the start of construction and the placement of any fill and ensure that the requirements of TMC 15.15.180 and subsection (B) of this section are adhered to.

3. Upon placement of the lowest floor of a structure (including basement) but prior to further vertical construction, obtain documentation, prepared and sealed by a professional licensed surveyor or engineer, certifying the elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (including basement).

4. Where base flood elevation data are utilized, obtain as-built certification of the elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (including basement) prepared and sealed by a professional licensed surveyor or engineer, prior to the final inspection.

5. Maintain all elevation certificates (EC) submitted to the city of Talent.

6. Obtain, record, and maintain the elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which the structure and all attendant utilities were floodproofed for all new or substantially improved floodproofed structures where allowed under this chapter and where base flood elevation (BFE) data is provided through the FIS, FIRM, or obtained in accordance with TMC 15.15.170(E).

7. Maintain all floodproofing certificates required under this chapter.

8. Record and maintain all variance actions, including justification for their issuance.

9. Obtain and maintain all hydrologic and hydraulic analyses performed as required under TMC 15.15.180.

10. Record and maintain all substantial improvement and substantial damage calculations and determinations as required under subsection (G) of this section.

11. Maintain for public inspection all records pertaining to the provisions of this chapter.

D. Alteration of Watercourses. Alteration or relocation of a natural watercourse is not permitted as a flood hazard mitigation project under this chapter. In the unlikely circumstance that the alteration or relocation of a watercourse is necessary in the response and/or recovery stages of a natural disaster, the floodplain administrator shall provide notice to the Department of Land Conservation and Development prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse and submit evidence of such notification to the Federal Insurance Administration. In that unlikely circumstance, the city shall require that maintenance is provided within the altered or relocated portion of said watercourse so that the flood-carrying capacity is not diminished.

E. Interpretation of FIRM Boundaries. The floodplain administrator shall make interpretations, where needed, about the exact location of the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazards (for example, where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions). The person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as provided in TMC 15.15.160.

F. Community Boundary Alterations. The floodplain administrator shall notify the Federal Insurance Administrator in writing whenever the boundaries of the community have been modified by annexation or the community has otherwise assumed authority or no longer has authority to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations for a particular area, to ensure that all flood hazard boundary maps (FHBM) and flood insurance rate maps (FIRM) accurately represent the community’s boundaries. Include within such notification a copy of a map of the community suitable for reproduction, clearly delineating the new corporate limits or new area for which the community has assumed or relinquished floodplain management regulatory authority.

G. Substantial Improvement and Substantial Damage Assessment and Determination. Conduct substantial improvement (SI) (as defined in TMC 15.15.050) reviews for all structural development proposal applications and maintain a record of SI calculations within permit files in accordance with subsection (C)of this section. Conduct substantial damage (SD) (as defined in TMC 15.15.050) assessments when structures are damaged due to a natural hazard event or other causes. Make SD determinations whenever structures within the special flood hazard area are damaged to the extent that the cost of restoring the structure to its before-damaged condition would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred. [Ord. 979 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 916 § 4.3, 2016; Ord. 752 § 4.3.]