[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Mendota
by Ord. No. 08-20-01; amended in
its entirety by Ord. No. 04-21-14A. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter is enacted pursuant to the police powers granted
to this City of Mendota by the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/1-2-1,
5/11-12-12, 5/11-30-2, 5/11-30-8 and 5/11-31-2) in order to accomplish
the following purposes:
A.Â
To prevent unwise developments from increasing flood or drainage
hazards to others;
B.Â
To protect new buildings and major improvements to buildings from
flood damage;
C.Â
To promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare
of the citizens from the hazards of flooding;
D.Â
To lessen the burden on the taxpayer for flood control, repairs to
public facilities and utilities, and flood rescue and relief operations;
E.Â
To maintain property values and a stable tax base by minimizing the
potential for creating blight areas;
F.Â
To make federally subsidized flood insurance available; and
G.Â
To preserve the natural characteristics and functions of watercourses
and floodplains in order to moderate flood and stormwater impacts,
improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, protect aquatic and riparian
habitat, provide recreational opportunities, provide aesthetic benefits
and enhance community and economic development.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The flood having a one-percent probability of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The base flood is also known as the "one-hundred-year flood." The base flood elevation at any location is as defined in § 166-3 of this chapter.
The elevation in relation to mean sea level of the crest
of the base flood.
That portion of a building having its floor subgrade (below
ground level) on all sides.
A walled and roofed structure that is principally above ground,
including manufactured homes, prefabricated buildings and gas or liquid
storage tanks. The term also includes recreational vehicles and travel
trailers installed on a site for more than 180 days per year.[1]
Any facility which is critical to the health and welfare of
the population and, if flooded, would create an added dimension to
the disaster. Damage to these critical facilities can impact the delivery
of vital services, can cause greater damage to other sectors of the
community, or can put special populations at risk.
Examples of critical facilities where flood protection should
be required include emergency services facilities (such as fire and
police stations), schools, hospitals, retirement homes and senior
care facilities, major roads and bridges, critical utility sites (telephone
switching stations or electrical transformers, and hazardous material
storage facilities (chemicals, petrochemicals, hazardous or toxic
substances).
Any man-made change to real estate, including, but not necessarily
limited to:
Demolition, construction, reconstruction, repair, placement
of a building, or any structural alteration to a building;
Substantial improvement of an existing building;
Installation of a manufactured home on a site, preparing a site
for a manufactured home, or installing a travel trailer on a site
for more than 180 days per year;
Installation of utilities, construction of roads, bridges, culverts
or similar projects;
Construction or erection of levees, dams, walls or fences;
Drilling, mining, filling, dredging, grading, excavating, paving,
or other alterations of the ground surface;
Storage of materials, including the placement of gas and liquid
storage tanks, and channel modifications or any other activity that
might change the direction, height, or velocity of flood or surface
waters.
"Development" does not include routine maintenance of existing
buildings and facilities, resurfacing roads, or gardening, plowing,
and similar practices that do not involve filling, grading, or construction
of levees.
A manufactured home park or subdivision for which the construction
of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes
are to be affixed or buildings to be constructed (including, at a
minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets,
and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is
completed before the effective date of the floodplain management regulations
adopted by a community.
The preparation of additional sites by the construction of
facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes
are to be affixed (including the installation of utilities, the construction
of streets, and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete
pads).
The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
A general and temporary condition of partial or complete
inundation of normally dry land areas from the overflow, the unusual
and rapid accumulation, or the runoff of surface waters from any source.
That portion of the floodplain outside of the regulatory
floodway.
A map prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
that depicts the floodplain or special flood hazard area (SFHA) within
a community. This map includes insurance rate zones and may or may
not depict floodways and show base flood elevations.
An examination, evaluation and determination of flood hazards
and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations.
These two terms are synonymous.
Those lands within the jurisdiction of the City of Mendota,
the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Mendota, or that
may be annexed into the City of Mendota that are subject to inundation
by the base flood. The floodplains of the City of Mendota are generally
identified as such on panel number(s) 167,175 and 180 of the countywide
Flood Insurance Rate Map of LaSalle County prepared by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency and dated May 19, 2014. "Floodplain" also
includes those areas of known flooding as identified by the community.
The floodplains of those parts of unincorporated LaSalle County
that are within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Mendota
or that may be annexed into the City of Mendota are generally identified
as such on the Flood Insurance Rate Map prepared for LaSalle County
by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and dated May 19, 2014.
Any combination of structural or nonstructural additions,
changes, or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood
damage to real estate, property and their contents.
A form published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
that is used to certify that a building has been designed and constructed
to be structurally dry floodproofed to the flood protection elevation.
The elevation of the base flood plus one foot of freeboard
at any given location in the floodplain.
That portion of the floodplain required to store and convey
the base flood. The floodway for the floodplains of First Creek, First
Creek Tributary and Mendota Creek shall be as delineated on the countywide
Flood Insurance Rate Map of LaSalle County prepared by FEMA and dated
May 19, 2014. The floodways for each of the remaining floodplains
of the City of Mendota shall be according to the best data available
from federal, state, or other sources.
An increment of elevation added to the base flood elevation
to provide a factor of safety for uncertainties in calculations, future
watershed development, unknown localized conditions, wave actions
and unpredictable effects such as those caused by ice or debris jams.
Any structure that is:
Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places
or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting
the requirements for individual listing on the National Register.
Certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the
Interior as contributing to the historic district or a district preliminarily
determined by the Secretary to qualify as a registered historic district.
Individually listed on the state inventory of historic places
by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places
that has been certified by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources/Office of Water
Resources.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Water Resources has jurisdiction over any stream serving a tributary area of 640 acres or more in an urban area, or in the floodway of any stream serving a tributary area of 6,400 acres or more in a rural area. Construction on these streams requires a permit from the Department (17 Ill. Admin. Code 3700.30). The Department may grant approval for specific types of activities by issuance of a statewide permit which meets the standards defined in § 166-6 of this chapter.
The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement). An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a basement area is not considered a building's lowest floor, provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirements of § 166-7 of this chapter.
A structure, transportable in one or more sections, that
is built on a permanent chassis and is designed to be used with or
without a permanent foundation when connected to required utilities.
A parcel (or contiguous parcels) of land divided into two
or more lots for rent or sale.
Structures for which the start of construction commenced
on or after the effective date of floodplain management regulations
adopted by a community and includes any subsequent improvements of
such structures.
A manufactured home park or subdivision for which the construction
of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes
are to be affixed or buildings to be constructed (including, at a
minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets,
and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is
completed on or after the effective date of the floodplain management
regulations adopted by a community.
The National Flood Insurance Program.
A vehicle which is:
Flood-related damages sustained by a structure on two separate
occasions during a ten-year period for which the cost of repairs at
the time of each such flood event on the average equals or exceeds
25% of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
See "floodplain.'
Includes substantial improvement and means the date the building
permit was issued, provided the actual start of construction, repair,
reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition placement or other improvement
was within 180 days of the permit date. The "actual start" means either
the first placement of permanent construction of a structure on a
site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of
piles, the construction of columns or any work beyond the stage of
excavation or placement of a manufactured home on a foundation. For
a substantial improvement, the actual start of construction means
the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor or other structural
part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external
dimensions of the building.
See "building."
Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the
cumulative percentage of damage subsequent to the adoption of this
chapter equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure
before the damage occurred, regardless of actual repair work performed.
Volunteer labor and materials must be included in this determination.
The term includes repetitive loss buildings (see definition of "repetitive
loss").
Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or improvement
of a structure taking place subsequent to the adoption of this chapter
in which the cumulative percentage of improvements:
Substantial improvement is considered to occur when the first
alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor or other structural part of
the building commences, whether or not that alteration affects the
external dimensions of the structure. This term includes structures
which have incurred repetitive loss or substantial damage, regardless
of the actual repair work done.
The term does not include:
Any project for improvement of a structure to comply with existing
state or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which
are solely necessary to assure safe living conditions; or
Any alteration of a structure listed on the National Register
of Historic Places or the Illinois Register of Historic Places.
The failure of a structure or other development to be fully
compliant with the community's floodplain management regulations.
A structure or other development without the required federal, state,
and/or local permits and elevation certification is presumed to be
in violation until such time as the documentation is provided.
This chapter's protection standard is the base flood. The
best available base flood data are listed below. Whenever a party
disagrees with the best available data, the party shall finance the
detailed engineering study needed to replace the existing data with
better data and submit it to the FEMA and IDNR/OWR for approval prior
to any development of the site.
A.Â
The base flood elevation for the floodplains of First Creek, First
Creek Tributary and Mendota Creek shall be as delineated on the one-hundred-year
flood profiles in the countywide Flood Insurance Study of LaSalle
County prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and dated
May 19, 2014.
B.Â
The base flood elevation for each floodplain delineated as an AH
Zone or AO Zone shall be that elevation (or depth) delineated on the
countywide Flood Insurance Rate Map of LaSalle County.
C.Â
The base flood elevation for each of the remaining floodplains delineated
as an A Zone on the countywide Flood Insurance Rate Map of LaSalle
County shall be according to the best data available from federal,
state or local sources. Should no other data exist, an engineering
study must be financed by the applicant to determine base flood elevations.
D.Â
The base flood elevation for the floodplains of those parts of unincorporated
LaSalle County that are within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of
the City of Mendota, or that may be annexed into the City of Mendota,
shall be as delineated on the one-hundred-year flood profiles in the
Flood Insurance Study of LaSalle County prepared by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency and dated May 19, 2014.
The Building Inspector shall be responsible for the general
administration of this chapter and ensure that all development activities
within the floodplains under the jurisdiction of the City of Mendota
meet the requirements of this chapter. Specifically, the Building
Inspector shall:
B.Â
Ensure that all development in a floodway (or a floodplain with no delineated floodway) meets the damage prevention requirements of § 166-6;
C.Â
Ensure that the building protection requirements for all buildings subject to § 166-7 are met and maintain a record of the "as-built" elevation of the lowest floor (including basement) or floodproofing certificate;
E.Â
Ensure that water supply and waste disposal systems meet the public health standards of § 166-9;
F.Â
If a variance is requested, ensure that the requirements of § 166-11 are met and maintain documentation of any variances granted;
G.Â
Inspect all development projects and take any and all penalty actions outlined in § 166-13 as a necessary to ensure compliance with this chapter;
H.Â
Assure that applicants are aware of and obtain any and all other
required local, state, and federal permits;
I.Â
Notify IDNR/OWR and any neighboring communities prior to any alteration
or relocation of a watercourse;
J.Â
Provide information and assistance to citizens upon request about
permit procedures and floodplain construction techniques;
K.Â
Cooperate with state and federal floodplain management agencies to
coordinate base flood data and to improve the administration of this
chapter;
L.Â
Maintain for public inspection base flood data, floodplain maps,
copies of state and federal permits, and documentation of compliance
for development activities subject to this chapter;
M.Â
Perform site inspections to ensure compliance with this chapter and
make substantial damage determinations for structures within the floodplain;
and
N.Â
Maintain the accuracy of floodplain maps, including notifying IDNR/OWR
and/or submitting information to FEMA within six months whenever a
modification of the floodplain may change the base flood elevation
or result in a change to the floodplain map.
A.Â
No person, firm, corporation, or governmental body not exempted by
law shall commence any development in the floodplain without first
obtaining a development permit from the Building Inspector. The Building
Inspector shall not issue a development permit if the proposed development
does not meet the requirements of this chapter.
(1)Â
The application for a development permit shall be accompanied by:
(a)Â
Drawings of the site, drawn to scale, showing property line
dimensions;
(b)Â
Existing grade elevations and all changes in grade resulting
from excavation or filling;
(c)Â
The location and dimensions of all buildings and additions to
buildings;
(d)Â
The elevation of the lowest floor (including basement) of all proposed buildings subject to the requirements of § 166-7 of this chapter; and
(e)Â
Cost of project or improvements as estimated by a licensed engineer
or architect. A signed estimate by a contractor may also meet this
requirement.
(2)Â
Upon receipt of an application for a development permit, the Building
Inspector shall compare the elevation of the site to the base flood
elevation. Any development located on land that is shown by survey
elevation to be below the current base flood elevation is subject
to the provisions of this chapter. In addition, any development located
on land shown to be below the base flood elevation and hydraulically
connected to a flood source, but not identified as a floodplain on
the current Flood Insurance Rate Map, is subject to the provisions
of this chapter. Any development located on land that can be shown
by survey data to be higher than the current base flood elevation
and which has not been filled after the date of the site's first
Flood Insurance Rate Map is not in the floodplain and therefore not
subject to the provisions of this chapter.
B.Â
The Building Inspector shall maintain documentation of the existing
ground elevation at the development site and certification that this
ground elevation existed prior to the date of the site's first
Flood Insurance Rate Map identification.
C.Â
The Building Inspector shall be responsible for obtaining from the
applicant copies of all other federal, state, and local permits, approvals
or permit-not-required letters that may be required for this type
of activity. The Building Inspector shall not issue a permit unless
all other federal, state, and local permits have been obtained.
Within any floodway identified on the countywide Flood Insurance
Rate Map, and within all other floodplains where a floodway has not
been delineated, the following standards shall apply:
A.Â
Except as provided in Subsection B, no development shall be allowed which, acting in combination with existing and anticipated development, will cause any increase in flood heights or velocities or threat to public health and safety. The following specific development activities shall be considered as meeting this requirement:
(1)Â
Bridge and culvert crossings of streams in rural areas meeting the
conditions of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office
of Water Resources Statewide Permit Number 2.
(2)Â
Barge fleeting facilities meeting the conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide
Permit Number 3.
(3)Â
Aerial utility crossings meeting the conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide
Permit Number 4.
(4)Â
Minor boat docks meeting the following conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide
Permit Number 5.
(5)Â
Minor, nonobstructive activities such as underground utility lines,
light poles, sign posts, driveways, athletic fields, patios, playground
equipment, minor storage buildings not exceeding 70 square feet and
raising buildings on the same footprint which does not involve fill
and any other activity meeting the conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide
Permit Number 6.
(6)Â
Outfall structures and drainage ditch outlets meeting the following
conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide Permit Number 7.
(7)Â
Underground pipeline and utility crossings meeting the conditions
of IDNR/OWR Statewide Permit Number 8.
(8)Â
Bank stabilization projects meeting the conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide
Permit Number 9.
(9)Â
Accessory structures and additions to existing residential buildings
meeting the conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide Permit Number 10.
(10)Â
Minor maintenance dredging activities meeting the following
conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide Permit Number 11.
(11)Â
Bridge and culvert replacement structures and bridge widening
meeting the following conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide Permit Number
12.
(12)Â
Temporary construction activities meeting the following conditions
of IDNR/OWR statewide Permit Number 13.
(13)Â
Any development determined by IDNR/OWR to be located entirely
within a flood fringe area shall be exempt from state floodway permit
requirements.
B.Â
Other development activities not listed in Subsection A may be permitted only if:
(1)Â
A permit has been issued for the work by IDNR/OWR (or written documentation
is provided that an IDNR/OWR permit is not required); or
(2)Â
Sufficient data has been provided to FEMA when necessary, and approval
has been obtained from FEMA for a revision of the regulatory map and
base flood elevation.
A.Â
In addition to the state permit and damage prevention requirements of § 166-6 of this chapter, all buildings located in the floodplain shall be protected from flood damage below the flood protection elevation. This building protection requirement applies to the following situations:
(1)Â
Construction or placement of a new building or alteration or addition
to an existing building valued at more than $1,000 or 70 square feet.
(2)Â
Substantial improvements or structural alterations made to an existing
building that increase the floor area by more than 20% or equal or
exceed the market value by 50%. Alteration shall be figured cumulatively
subsequent to the adoption of this chapter. If substantially improved,
the existing structure and the addition must meet the flood protection
standards of this section.
(3)Â
Repairs made to a substantially damaged building. These repairs shall
be figured cumulatively subsequent to the adoption of this chapter.
If substantially damaged, the entire structure must meet the flood
protection standards of this section within 24 months of the date
the damage occurred.
(4)Â
Installing a manufactured home on a new site or a new manufactured
home on an existing site. (The building protection requirements do
not apply to returning a manufactured home to the same site it lawfully
occupied before it was removed to avoid flood damage.)
(5)Â
Installing a travel trailer or recreational vehicle on a site for
more than 180 days per year.
B.Â
Residential or nonresidential buildings can meet the building protection
requirements by one of the following methods:
(1)Â
The building may be constructed on permanent land fill in accordance
with the following:
(a)Â
The lowest floor (including basement) shall be at or above the
flood protection elevation;
(b)Â
The fill shall be placed in layers no greater than six inches
before compaction and should extend at least 10 feet beyond the foundation
before sloping below the flood protection elevation;
(c)Â
The fill shall be protected against erosion and scour during
flooding by vegetative cover, riprap, or other structural measure;
(d)Â
The fill shall be composed of rock or soil and not incorporated
debris or refuse material; and
(2)Â
The building may be elevated on solid walls in accordance with the
following:
(a)Â
The building or improvements shall be elevated on stilts, piles,
walls, a crawl space, or other foundation that is permanently open
to floodwaters;
(b)Â
The lowest floor and all electrical, heating, ventilating, plumbing,
and air-conditioning equipment and utility meters shall be located
at or above the flood protection elevation;
(c)Â
If walls are used, all enclosed areas below the flood protection
elevation shall address hydrostatic pressures by allowing the automatic
entry and exit of floodwaters. Designs must either be certified by
a licensed professional engineer or by having a minimum of one permanent
opening on each wall no more than one foot above grade with a minimum
of two openings. The openings shall provide a total net area of not
less than one square inch for every one square foot of enclosed area
subject to flooding below the base flood elevation; and
(d)Â
The foundation and supporting members shall be anchored, designed,
and certified so as to minimize exposure to hydrodynamic forces such
as current, waves, ice, and floating debris.
[1]Â
All structural components below the flood protection elevation
shall be constructed of materials resistant to flood damage;
[2]Â
Water and sewer pipes, electrical and telephone lines, submersible
pumps, and other service facilities may be located below the flood
protection elevation, provided they are waterproofed;
[3]Â
The area below the flood protection elevation shall be used
solely for parking or building access and not later modified or occupied
as habitable space; or
[4]Â
In lieu of the above criteria, the design methods to comply
with these requirements may be certified by a licensed professional
engineer or architect.
(3)Â
The building may be constructed with a crawl space located below
the flood protection elevation, provided that the following conditions
are met:
(a)Â
The building must be designed and adequately anchored to resist
flotation, collapse, and lateral movement of the structure resulting
from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic loads, including the effects of
buoyancy;
(b)Â
Any enclosed area below the flood protection elevation shall
have openings that equalize hydrostatic pressures by allowing for
the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters, including a minimum of
one opening on each wall having a total net area of not less than
one square inch per one square foot of enclosed area. The openings
shall be no more than one foot above grade;
(c)Â
The interior grade of the crawl space below the flood protection
elevation must not be more than two feet below the lowest adjacent
exterior grade;
(d)Â
The interior height of the crawl space measured from the interior
grade of the crawl space to the top of the foundation wall must not
exceed four feet at any point;
(e)Â
An adequate drainage system must be installed to remove floodwaters
from the interior area of the crawl space within a reasonable period
of time after a flood event;
(f)Â
Portions of the building below the flood protection elevation
must be constructed with materials resistant to flood damage; and
(g)Â
Utility systems within the crawl space must be elevated above
the flood protection elevation.
C.Â
Nonresidential buildings may be structurally dry floodproofed (in
lieu of elevation), provided a licensed professional engineer or architect
certifies that:
(1)Â
Below the flood protection elevation, the structure and attendant
utility facilities are watertight and capable of resisting the effects
of the base flood.
(2)Â
The building design accounts for flood velocities, duration, rate
of rise, hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces, the effects of buoyancy,
and the impact from debris and ice.
(3)Â
Floodproofing measures will be incorporated into the building design
and operable without human intervention and without an outside source
of electricity.
(4)Â
Levees, berms, floodwalls and similar works are not considered floodproofing
for the purpose of this subsection.
D.Â
Manufactured homes or travel trailers to be permanently installed
on site shall be:
(2)Â
Anchored to resist flotation, collapse, or lateral movement by being
tied down in accordance with the rules and regulations for the Illinois
Mobile Home Tie-Down Act issued pursuant to 77 Ill. Adm. Code 870.
E.Â
Travel trailers and recreational vehicles on site for more than 180 days per year shall meet the elevation requirements of Subsection D unless the following conditions are met:
(1)Â
The vehicle must be either self-propelled or towable by a light-duty
truck;
(2)Â
The hitch must remain on the vehicle at all times;
(3)Â
The vehicle must not be attached to external structures such as decks
and porches;
(4)Â
The vehicle must be designed solely for recreation, camping, travel,
or seasonal use rather than as a permanent dwelling;
(5)Â
The vehicle's largest horizontal projections must be no larger than
400 square feet;
(6)Â
The vehicle's wheels must remain on axles and inflated;
(7)Â
Air-conditioning units must be attached to the frame so as to be
safe for movement of the floodplain;
(8)Â
Propane tanks, as well as electrical and sewage connections, must
be quick-disconnect;
(9)Â
The vehicle must be licensed and titled as a recreational vehicle
or park model; and
F.Â
Garages, sheds or other minor accessory structures constructed ancillary
to an existing residential use may be permitted, provided the following
conditions are met:
(1)Â
The garage or shed must be nonhabitable.
(2)Â
The garage or shed must be used only for the storage of vehicles
and tools and cannot be modified later into another use.
(3)Â
The garage or shed must be located outside of the floodway or have
the appropriate state and/or federal permits.
(4)Â
The garage or shed must be on a single-family lot and be accessory
to an existing principal structure on the same lot.
(5)Â
Below the base flood elevation, the garage or shed must be built
of materials not susceptible to flood damage.
(6)Â
All utilities, plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical
must be elevated above the flood protection elevation.
(7)Â
The garage or shed must have at least one permanent opening on each
wall not more than one foot above grade with one square inch of opening
for every one square foot of floor area.
(8)Â
The garage or shed must be less than $15,000 in market value or replacement
cost, whichever is greater, or less than 576 square feet (24 feet
by 24 feet).
(9)Â
The structure shall be anchored to resist flotation and overturning.
(10)Â
All flammable or toxic materials (gasoline, paint, insecticides,
fertilizers, etc.) shall be stored above the flood protection elevation.
(11)Â
The lowest floor elevation should be documented and the owner
advised of the flood insurance implications.
The City of Mendota shall take into account hazards, to the
extent that they are known, in all official actions related to land
management use and development.
A.Â
New subdivisions, manufactured home parks, annexation agreements, planned unit developments, and additions to manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall meet the damage prevention and building protections standards of §§ 166-6 and 166-7 of this chapter. Any proposal for such development shall include the following data:
(1)Â
The base flood elevation and the boundary of the floodplain; where
the base flood elevation is not available from an existing study,
the applicant shall be responsible for calculating the base flood
elevation;
(2)Â
The boundary of the floodway when applicable; and
(3)Â
A signed statement by a licensed professional engineer that the proposed
plat or plan accounts for changes in the drainage of surface waters
in accordance with the Plat Act (765 ILCS 205/2).
B.Â
Streets, blocks, lots, parks and other public grounds shall be located
and laid out in such a manner as to preserve and utilize natural streams
and channels. Wherever possible, the floodplains shall be included
within parks or other public grounds.
A.Â
Public health standards must be met for all floodplain development. In addition to the requirements of §§ 166-6 and 166-7 of this chapter the following standards apply:
(1)Â
No development in the floodplain shall include locating or storing chemicals, explosives, buoyant materials, flammable liquids, pollutants, or other hazardous or toxic materials below the flood protection elevation unless such materials are stored in a floodproofed and anchored storage tank and certified by a professional engineer or floodproofed building constructed according to the requirements of § 166-7 of this chapter.
(2)Â
Public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas and electric shall
be located and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage.
(3)Â
Public sanitary sewer systems and water supply systems shall be located
and constructed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters
into the systems and discharges from the systems into floodwaters.
(4)Â
New and replacement on-site sanitary sewer lines or waste disposal
systems shall be located and constructed to avoid impairment to them
or contamination from them during flooding. Manholes or other aboveground
openings located below the flood protection elevation shall be watertight.
(5)Â
Construction of new or substantially improved critical facilities
shall be located outside the limits of the floodplain. Construction
of new critical facilities shall be permissible within the floodplain
if no feasible alternative site is available. Critical facilities
constructed within the SFHA shall have the lowest floor (including
basement) elevated or structurally dry floodproofed to the five-hundred-year
flood frequency elevation or three feet above the level of the one-hundred-year
flood frequency elevation, whichever is greater. Floodproofing and
sealing measures must be taken to ensure that toxic substances will
not be displaced by or released into floodwaters. Access routes elevated
to or above the level of the base flood elevation shall be provided
to all critical facilities.
B.Â
All other activities defined as development shall be designed so
as not to alter flood flows or increase potential flood damages.
For all projects involving channel modification, fill, or stream
maintenance (including levees), the flood-carrying capacity of the
watercourse shall be maintained. In addition, the City of Mendota
shall notify adjacent communities in writing 30 days prior to the
issuance of a permit for the alteration or relocation of the watercourse.
A.Â
Whenever
the standards of this chapter place undue hardship on a specific development
proposal, the applicant may apply to the Building Inspector for a
variance. The Building Inspector shall review the applicant's
request for a variance and shall submit his recommendation to the
City Council of the City of Mendota. The City Council may attach such
conditions to granting of a variance as it deems necessary to further
the intent of this chapter.
B.Â
No variance shall be granted unless the applicant demonstrates that
all of the following conditions are met:
(1)Â
The development activity cannot be located outside the floodplain;
(2)Â
An exceptional hardship would result if the variance were not granted;
(3)Â
The relief requested is the minimum necessary;
(4)Â
There will be no additional threat to public health, safety or creation
of a nuisance;
(5)Â
There will be no additional public expense for flood protection,
rescue or relief operations, policing, or repairs to roads, utilities,
or other public facilities;
(6)Â
The applicant's circumstances are unique and do not establish
a pattern inconsistent with the intent of the NFIP; and
(7)Â
All other state and federal permits have been obtained.
C.Â
The Building Inspector shall notify an applicant in writing that a variance from the requirements of the building protections standards of § 166-7 that would lessen the degree of protection to a building will:
(1)Â
Result in increased premium rates for flood insurance up to $25 per
$100 of insurance coverage;
(2)Â
Increase the risk to life and property; and
(3)Â
Require that the applicant proceed with knowledge of these risks
and that the applicant acknowledge in writing the assumption of the
risk and liability.
D.Â
Historic structures.
(1)Â
Variances to the building protection requirements of § 166-7 of this chapter which are requested in connection with reconstruction, repair, or alteration of an historic site or historic structure, as defined in § 166-2, may be granted using criteria more permissive than the requirements of §§ 166-6 and 166-7 of this chapter, subject to the conditions that:
E.Â
Agriculture. Any variance granted for an agricultural structure shall
be decided individually based on a case-by-case analysis of the building's
unique circumstances. Variances granted shall meet the following conditions
as well as those criteria and conditions set forth in this chapter.
In order to minimize flood damages during the one-hundred-year flood
and the threat to public health and safety, the following conditions
shall be included for any variance issued for agricultural structures
that are constructed at-grade and wet-floodproofed:
(1)Â
All agricultural structures considered for a variance from the floodplain
management regulations of this chapter shall demonstrate that the
varied structure is located in wide, expansive floodplain areas and
no other alternate location outside of the special flood hazard area
exists for the agricultural structure. Residential structures or animal
confinement facilities, such as farm houses, cannot be considered
agricultural structures.
(2)Â
Use of the varied structures must be limited to agricultural purposes
in Zone A only as identified on the community's Flood Insurance
Rate Map (FIRM).
(3)Â
For any new or substantially damaged agricultural structures, the exterior and interior building components and elements (i.e., foundation, wall framing, exterior and interior finishes, flooring, etc.) below the base flood elevation must be built with flood-resistant materials in accordance with § 166-7 of this chapter.
(4)Â
The agricultural structures must be adequately anchored to prevent
flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structures in accordance
with `66-7 of this chapter. All of the building's structural
components must be capable of resisting specific flood-related forces,
including hydrostatic, buoyancy, and hydrodynamic and debris impact
forces.
(5)Â
Any mechanical, electrical, or other utility equipment must be located above the base flood elevation or floodproofed so that they are contained within a watertight, floodproofed enclosure that is capable of resisting damage during flood conditions in accordance with § 166-7 of this chapter.
(6)Â
The NFIP requires that enclosure or foundation walls, subject to the one-hundred-year flood, contain openings that will permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters in accordance with § 166-7B of this chapter.
(7)Â
The agricultural structures must comply with the floodplain management floodway provisions of § 166-6 of this chapter. No variances may be issued for agricultural structures within any designated floodway.
(8)Â
Wet-floodproofing construction techniques must be reviewed and approved
by the floodplain administrator and a registered professional engineer
or architect prior to the issuance of any floodplain development permit
for construction.
The degree of protection required by this chapter is considered
reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on available information
derived from engineering and scientific methods of study. Larger floods
may occur or flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural
causes. This chapter does not imply that development either inside
or outside of the floodplain will be free from flooding or damage.
This chapter does not create liability on the part of the City of
Mendota or any officer or employee thereof for any flood damage that
results from proper reliance on this chapter or any administrative
decision made lawfully thereunder.
Failure to obtain a permit for development in the floodplain
or failure to comply with the conditions of a permit or a variance
shall be deemed to be a violation of this chapter. Upon due investigation,
the Building Inspector, Mayor or City Attorney may determine that
a violation of the minimum standards of this chapter exists. The Building
Inspector, Mayor or City Attorney shall notify the owner in writing
of such violation.
A.Â
If such owner fails, after 10 days' notice, to correct the violation,
the City of Mendota shall make application to the Circuit Court for
an injunction requiring conformance with this chapter or make such
other order as the court deems necessary to secure compliance with
this chapter.[1]
B.Â
The Building Inspector, Mayor or City Attorney shall inform the owner
that any such violation is considered a willful act to increase flood
damages and therefore may cause coverage by a standard flood insurance
policy to be suspended.
C.Â
The Building Inspector, Mayor or City Attorney is authorized to issue
an order requiring the suspension of the subject development. The
stop-work order shall be in writing, indicate the reason for the issuance,
and shall order the action, if necessary, to resolve the circumstances
requiring the stop-work order. The stop-work order constitutes a suspension
of the permit.
D.Â
No site development permit shall be permanently suspended or revoked
until a hearing is held by the Building Inspector.
E.Â
Nothing herein shall prevent the City of Mendota from taking such
other lawful action to prevent or remedy any violations. All costs
connected therewith shall accrue to the person or persons responsible.
This chapter repeals and replaces other ordinances adopted by
the City Council of the City of Mendota to fulfill the requirements
of the National Flood Insurance Program, including Ord. No. 07-05-11A.
However, this chapter does not repeal the original resolution or ordinance
adopted to achieve eligibility in the program; nor does this chapter
repeal, abrogate, or impair any existing easements, covenants, or
deed restrictions. Where this chapter and other ordinances, easements,
covenants or deed restrictions conflict or overlap, whichever imposes
the more stringent restrictions shall prevail.