Town of Orange, CT Article I Statutory Authorization, Findings of Fact, Purpose and Objectives

§ 223-1 Statutory authorization.

The Legislature of the State of Connecticut has in Section 7-148(c)(7) of the General Statutes delegated the responsibility to local governmental units to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizenry. Therefore, the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Orange, Connecticut, does ordain as follows.

§ 223-2 Findings of fact.

A. The flood hazard areas of the Town of Orange are subject to periodic inundation which results 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.

B. These flood losses are caused by the cumulative effect of obstructions in floodplains which increase flood heights and velocities. Uses situated in flood hazard areas and which are inadequately elevated, flood-proofed, or are otherwise unprotected from flood damages are vulnerable to floods and cause damage to uses in other areas, and contribute to the flood loss.

§ 223-3 Statement of purpose.

It is 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 to:

A. Restrict or prohibit 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;

B. Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;

C. Control the alteration of natural floodplains, street channels, and natural protective barriers which are involved in the accommodation of flood waters;

D. Control filling, grading, dredging and other development which may increase erosion or flood damage; and

E. Prevent or regulate the construction of flood bathers which will unnaturally divert flood waters or which may increase flood hazards to other land.

§ 223-4 Objectives.

The objectives of this chapter are:

A. To protect human life and health;

B. To minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;

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

D. To minimize prolonged business interruptions;

E. To minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in floodplains;

F. To help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood-prone areas in such a manner as to minimize flood blight areas; and

G. To insure that potential home buyers are notified that property is in a flood area.