The Legislature of the State of New Jersey has, in N.J.S.A.
40:48-1 et seq., delegated the responsibility to local governmental
units to adopt regulations designed to promote public health, safety,
and general welfare of its citizenry. Therefore, the Township Committee
of the Township of Mansfield of Burlington County, New Jersey, does
ordain as follows.
A.
The flood
hazard areas of the Township of Mansfield 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 areas
of special flood hazard which increase flood heights and velocities,
and when inadequately anchored, causes damage in other areas. Uses
that are inadequately floodproofed, elevated or otherwise protected
from flood damage also contribute to the flood loss.
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.
Protect
human life and health;
B.
Minimize
expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;
C.
Minimize
the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and
generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
D.
Minimize
prolonged business interruptions;
E.
Minimize
damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains,
electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets, bridges located in areas
of special flood hazard;
F.
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;
G.
Ensure that
potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special
flood hazard; and
H.
Ensure that
those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility
for their actions.
In order to accomplish its purposes, this chapter includes methods
and provisions for:
A.
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;
B.
Requiring
that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such
uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;
C.
Controlling
the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural
protective barriers, which help accommodate or channel floodwaters;
D.
Controlling
filling, grading, dredging, and other development which may increase
flood damage; and
E.
Preventing
or regulating the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally
divert floodwaters or which may increase flood hazards in other areas.
