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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 19658-04-2011ORDINANCE NO. 19658-04-2011 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH (1986), AS AMENDED, BY THE AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 7, ARTICLE VIII, "FLOODPLAIN PROVISIONS"; SECTION 7-317 "BASIS FOR ESTABLISHING THE AREAS OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD"; SECTION 7-317 "ESTABLISHMENT OF FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT PERMIT"; SECTION 7- 386 "DEFINITIONS"; SECTION 7-387 DESIGNATING A NEW DATE FOR THE ADOPTED MANUAL; SECTION 7- 389, "APPLICATION"; SECTION 7-390, "REVIEW OF APPLICATION; APPROVAL; DENIAL OF APPROVAL"; SECTION 7-391, REMOVING THE EXCEPTIONS TO THIS ARTICLE AND ADOPTING NEW EXEMPTIONS AND VARIANCES; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A PENALTY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth participates in the National Flood Insurance Program under the auspices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and WHEREAS, the City clearly establishes the requirements for eligibility for flood insurance through its ordinances and regulations; and WHEREAS, qualifying under the National Flood Insurance Program is not only desirable but an economic necessity for the citizens living, operating businesses or owning property in or near flood-prone areas; and WHEREAS, the City has adopted ordinances into the City Code, Chapter 7, Article VIII to regulate development in the floodplain areas of the City and other areas under its jurisdiction; and WHEREAS, Federal Emergency Management Agency, through its Map Modernization program, has revised the Flood Insurance Study and the Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the City of Fort Worth; and WHEREAS, the revised Flood Insurance Study and the Flood Insurance Rate Maps must be adopted and enforced by ordinance for continued participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION 1. Part II of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, Chapter 7, "Buildings", Article VIII, "Floodplain Provisions", Section 7-317, "Basis for Establishing the Areas of Special Flood Hazard" is hereby amended to read as follows: A Special Flood Hazard, as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the current scientific FIS for Tarrant County, Texas and incorporated areas, dated September 25, 2009, with accompanying FIRMS dated September 25, 2009; current scientific FIS for Denton County, Texas and incorporated areas dated April 18, 2011, with accompanying FIRMS dated April 18, 2011, current scientific FIS for Parker County, Texas and incorporated areas, dated September 26, 2008 with accompanying FIRMS dated September 26, 2008; and Wise County, Texas and incorporated areas, dated March 19, 1990 with accompanying FIRMS dated March 19, 1990 and any revisions thereto are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this article. SECTION 2. Part II of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, Chapter 7, "Buildings", Article VIII, "Floodplain Provisions", Section 7-318, "Establishment of Floodplain Development Permit" is hereby amended to read as follows: A floodplain development permit shall be required to ensure compliance with the provisions of this article. A floodplain permit shall terminate if the development for which the permit was issued has not commenced within two (2) years from the date of issuance. Procedures to obtain floodplain development permit are set forth in section 7-333 of this article. SECTION 3. Part II of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, Chapter 7, "Buildings", Article VIII, "Floodplain Provisions", Section 7-386, "Definitions", definition of Corridor Development Certificate Manual is hereby amended to read as follows: Corridor development certificate manual (CDC Manual) means the manual adopted by the Trinity River Common Vision Program Executive Committee dated July, 2009. Floodplain Provisions Ordinance CRR 03301 t tinalveision SECTION 4. Part II of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, Chapter 7, "Buildings", Article VIII, "Floodplain Provisions", Section 7-387, "January 31, 1992 Edition Corridor Development Certificate Manual adopted Standards", is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 7-387. July, 2009 edition Corridor Development Certificate Manual adopted Standards. The July, 2009 edition of the CDC, as amended hereby, is adopted as the standard for development within the Trinity River Corridor and is attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and is incorporated herein by reference. SECTION 5. Part II of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, Chapter 7, "Buildings", Article VIII, "Floodplain Provisions", Section 7-389, "Application", is hereby amended to read as follows: An application for a corridor development certificate must be filed with the floodplain administrator on forms provided by the department of transportation and public works or from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). SECTION 6. Part II of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, Chapter 7, "Buildings", Article VIII, "Floodplain Provisions", Section 7-390, "Review of application; approval; denial of approval", is hereby amended to read as follows: The floodplain administrator or his duly authorized designee shall be responsible for the review of an application for a corridor development certificate. The application shall be approved if it conforms to the requirements of the CDC Manual, as amended, or if an exemption or variance is granted; otherwise, the application shall be denied. SECTION 7. Part II of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, Chapter 7, "Buildings", Article VIII, "Floodplain Provisions", Section 7-391, "Exemptions and Variances", is hereby amended to read as follows: (a) Exemptions: Application for an exemption must be made to the floodplain administrator on a form provided by the department of transportation and public works or the NCTCOG. An Floodplain Provisions Ordinance CRR 033011 tinalveisiun exemption from the requirements of this section maybe obtained if allowable by applicable laws and the CDC Manual criteria and the development involves the following activities: (1) Maintenance, repair, or identical replacement of existing infrastructure. (2) Outfall structures where the outfall has been permitted under the Federal NPDES or State TPDES structures. (3) Intake structures. (4) Discharge of material for backfill or bedding for utility lines, provided there is not significant change in preexisting bottom contours and excess material is removed to an area outside of the regulatory zone. (5) Bank stabilization activities provided that no significant change (as determined using the CDC Manual criteria) occurs in pre-existing bottom contours and excess material is removed to an area outside the regulatory zone. (6) Small scale projects that cause minimal change in ground surface elevation and no decrease in hydraulic conveyance and valley storage for the 100-year flood. (7) Temporary construction or construction related activity. (b) Variances: A variance shall be any modification of the CDC Manual criteria. The floodplain administrator may issue a variance: (1) When strict compliance with the CDC Manual criteria would cause undue hardship, because of unique circumstances to the individual property on which the variance is requested. (2) When a public project is deemed to be in the "overall regional public interest", as determined by the City Council. SECTION 8. CUMULATIVE PROVISIONS This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, in which event conflicting Floodplain Provisions Ordinance CRR 03301 I tinalveision provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby repealed. SECTION 9. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance are severable and, if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 10. PENALTY CLAUSE Any person, firm or corporation who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses to comply with or who resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be fined not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) for each offense. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense. SECTION 11. RIGHTS AND REMEDIES All rights and remedies of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, are expressly saved as to any and all violations of the provisions of the ordinances amended herein, which have accrued at the time of the effective date of this ordinance and, as to such accrued violations and all pending litigation, both civil and criminal, whether pending in court or not, under such ordinances, same shall not be affected by this ordinance but maybe prosecuted until final disposition by the courts. Floodplain Provisions Ordinance CRR 033011 tinalversion SECTION 12. PUBLICATION The City Secretary of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, is hereby directed to publish the caption of this ordinance for two (2) days in the official newspaper of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, as authorized by Section 2, Chapter XXV of the Charter of the City of Fort Worth, Texas and by Section 52.013, Texas Local Government Code. SECTION 13. EFFECTIVE DATE This Ordinance shall take effect on April 18, 2011. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: ~; By: ~sta R. eynolds Sr. Assistant City Attorney ADOPTED: April 12, 2011 Floodplain Provisions Ordinance CRR 03301 I tinalversion City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication .:,..~. COUNCIL ACTION: Approved on 4112/2011 -Ord. No. 19658-04-20'I1 DATE: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 REFERENCE NO.: G-17259 LOG NAME: 20SWM FLOODPLAINCDC SUBJECT: Adopt Ordinance Amending the City's Floodplain Provisions in Chapter 7, Article VIII, of the City Code to Adopt Updated Federal Emergency Management Agency Floodplain Maps and the Most Current Corridor Development Certificate Manual and its Criteria for Development RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance amending the City's Floodplain Provisions found in Chapter 7, Article VIII, of the City Code and adopt updated Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain maps and the most current Corridor Development Certificate Manual and its criteria for development. DISCUSSION: In order to maintain compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Regulations, the City must adopt the updated floodplain maps prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and refine other City Code sections regarding the City's Floodplain Management Program. This update to the ordinance is to incorporate the new Federal Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) for Denton County and to adopt the most current Corridor Development Certificate Manual adopted by the Trinity River Common Vision Program Executive Committee, dated July 2009 and its criteria for development. Section 7-318 further requires that development commence within two years from the date of issuance of a floodplain development permit to assure that conditions of the property have not changed. The amendment to the ordinance also eliminates the exceptions to the floodplain regulations, while leaving in place and amending the exemptions and variances. The other Floodplain Provisions found in Chapter 7, Article VIII are substantially the same. The ordinance amendment must be approved on or before April 18, 2011, the effective date of the new FEMA maps, in order to maintain compliance with NFIP Regulations. FISCAL INFORMATION /CERTIFICATION: The Financial Management Services Director certifies that this action will have no material effect on City funds. FUND CENTERS: TO Fund/Account/Centers FROM Fund/Account/Centers CERTIFICATIONS: Submitted for City Manager's Office b~ Originating Department Head: Additional Information Contact: Fernando Costa (6122) Greg Simmons (7862) Cindy Robinson (7947) Clair Davis (5981) Logname: 20SWM FLOODPLAINCDC Page 1 of 1