This chapter is adopted pursuant to the authorization in §§ 61.35 and 62.23, for villages and cities; §§ 59.69, 59.692, and 59.694 for counties; and the requirements in § 87.30, Wis. Stats.
Uncontrolled development and use of the floodplains and rivers of this municipality would impair the public health, safety, convenience, general welfare and tax base.
This chapter is intended to regulate floodplain development to:
A. 
Protect life, health and property;
B. 
Minimize expenditures of public funds for flood control projects;
C. 
Minimize rescue and relief efforts undertaken at the expense of the taxpayers;
D. 
Minimize business interruptions and other economic disruptions;
E. 
Minimize damage to public facilities in the floodplain;
F. 
Minimize the occurrence of future flood blight areas in the floodplain;
G. 
Discourage the victimization of unwary land and homebuyers;
H. 
Prevent increases in flood heights that could increase flood damage and result in conflicts between property owners; and
I. 
Discourage development in a floodplain if there is any practicable alternative to locate the activity, use or structure outside of the floodplain.
This chapter shall be known as the "Floodplain Zoning Ordinance for the City of Rice Lake, Wisconsin."
A. 
Unless specifically defined, words and phrases in this chapter shall have their common law meaning and shall be applied in accordance with their common usage. Words used in the present tense include the future, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular. The word "may" is permissive, "shall" is mandatory and is not discretionary.
B. 
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE OR USE
A facility, structure, building or use which is accessory or incidental to the principal use of a property, structure or building.
A-ZONES
Those areas shown on the Official Floodplain Zoning Map which would be inundated by the regional flood. These areas may be numbered or unnumbered A-Zones. The A-Zones may or may not be reflective of flood profiles, depending on the availability of data for a given area.
BASE FLOOD
The flood having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year, as published by FEMA as part of a FIS and depicted on a FIRM.
BASEMENT
Any enclosed area of a building having its floor subgrade, i.e., below ground level, on all sides.
BUILDING
See "structure."
BULKHEAD LINE
A geographic line along a reach of navigable water that has been adopted by a municipal ordinance and approved by the Department pursuant to § 30.11, Wis. Stats., and which allows limited filling between this bulkhead line and the original ordinary high-water mark, except where such filling is prohibited by the floodway provisions of this chapter.
CAMPGROUND
Any parcel of land which is designed, maintained, intended or used for the purpose of providing sites for nonpermanent overnight use by four or more camping units, or which is advertised or represented as a camping area.
CAMPING UNIT
Any portable device, no more than 400 square feet in area, used as a temporary shelter, including but not limited to a camping trailer, motor home, bus, van, pickup truck, tent or other mobile recreational vehicle.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
A certification that the construction and the use of land or a building, the elevation of fill or the lowest floor of a structure is in compliance with all of the provisions of this chapter.
CHANNEL
A natural or artificial watercourse with definite bed and banks to confine and conduct normal flow of water.
CRAWLWAY or CRAWL SPACE
An enclosed area below the first usable floor of a building, generally less than five feet in height, used for access to plumbing and electrical utilities.
DECK
An unenclosed exterior structure that has no roof or sides, but has a permeable floor which allows the infiltration of precipitation.
DEPARTMENT
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
DEVELOPMENT
Any artificial change to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, the construction of buildings, structures or accessory structures; the construction of additions or alterations to buildings, structures or accessory structures; the repair of any damaged structure or the improvement or renovation of any structure, regardless of percentage of damage or improvement; the placement of buildings or structures; subdivision layout and site preparation; mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations; the storage, deposition or extraction of materials or equipment; and the installation, repair or removal of public or private sewage disposal systems or water supply facilities.
DRYLAND ACCESS
A vehicular access route which is above the regional flood elevation and which connects land located in the floodplain to land outside the floodplain, such as a road with its surface above regional flood elevation and wide enough for wheeled rescue and relief vehicles.
ENCROACHMENT
Any fill, structure, equipment, building, use or development in the floodway.
EXISTING MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION
A parcel of land, divided into two or more manufactured home lots for rent or sale, on which the construction of facilities for servicing the lots is completed before the effective date of this chapter. At a minimum, this would include the installation of utilities, the construction of streets and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads.
EXPANSION TO EXISTING MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOME PARK
The preparation of additional sites by the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed. This includes installation of utilities, construction of streets and either final site grading, or the pouring of concrete pads.
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)
The federal agency that administers the National Flood Insurance Program.
FLOOD or FLOODING
A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas caused by one of the following conditions:
(1) 
The overflow or rise of inland waters;
(2) 
The rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source;
(3) 
The inundation caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels along the shore of Lake Michigan or Lake Superior; or
(4) 
The sudden increase caused by an unusually high-water level in a natural body of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force of nature, such as a seiche, or by some similarly unusual event.
FLOOD FREQUENCY
The probability of a flood occurrence which is determined from statistical analyses. The frequency of a particular flood event is usually expressed as occurring, on the average, once in a specified number of years or as a percent chance of occurring in any given year.
FLOOD-FRINGE
That portion of the floodplain outside of the floodway which is covered by floodwaters during the regional flood and associated with standing water rather than flowing water.
FLOOD HAZARD BOUNDARY MAP
A map designating approximate flood hazard areas. Flood hazard areas are designated as unnumbered A-Zones and do not contain floodway lines or regional flood elevations. This map forms the basis for both the regulatory and insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until superseded by a Flood Insurance Study and a Flood Insurance Rate Map.
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM)
A map of a community on which the Federal Insurance Administration has delineated both special flood hazard areas (the floodplain) and the risk premium zones applicable to the community. This map can only be amended by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY
A technical engineering examination, evaluation, and determination of the local flood hazard areas. It provides maps designating those areas affected by the regional flood and provides both flood insurance rate zones and base flood elevations and may provide floodway lines. The flood hazard areas are designated as numbered and unnumbered A-Zones. Flood Insurance Rate Maps, that accompany the Flood Insurance Study, form the basis for both the regulatory and the insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program.
FLOODPLAIN
Land which has been or may be covered by floodwater during the regional flood. It includes the floodway and the flood-fringe, and may include other designated floodplain areas for regulatory purposes.
FLOODPLAIN ISLAND
A natural geologic land formation within the floodplain that is surrounded, but not covered, by floodwater during the regional flood.
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT
Policy and procedures to ensure wise use of floodplains, including mapping and engineering, mitigation, education, and administration and enforcement of floodplain regulations.
FLOOD PROFILE
A graph or a longitudinal profile line showing the relationship of the water surface elevation of a flood event to locations of land surface elevations along a stream or river.
FLOODPROOFING
Any combination of structural provisions, changes or adjustments to properties and structures, water and sanitary facilities and contents of buildings subject to flooding, for the purpose of reducing or eliminating flood damage.
FLOOD-PROTECTION ELEVATION
An elevation of two feet of freeboard above the water surface profile elevation designated for the regional flood. (Also see "freeboard.")
FLOOD STORAGE
Those floodplain areas where storage of floodwaters has been taken into account during analysis in reducing the regional flood discharge.
FLOODWAY
The channel of a river or stream and those portions of the floodplain adjoining the channel required to carry the regional flood discharge.
FREEBOARD
A safety factor expressed in terms of a specified number of feet above a calculated flood level. Freeboard compensates for any factors that cause flood heights greater than those calculated, including ice jams, debris accumulation, wave action, obstruction of bridge openings and floodways, the effects of watershed urbanization, loss of flood storage areas due to development and aggregation of the river or stream bed.
HABITABLE STRUCTURE
Any structure or portion thereof used or designed for human habitation.
HEARING NOTICE
Publication or posting meeting the requirements of Ch. 985, Wis. Stats. For appeals, a Class 1 notice, published once at least one week (7 days) before the hearing, is required. For all zoning ordinances and amendments, a Class 2 notice, published twice, once each week consecutively, the last at least a week (7 days) before the hearing. Local ordinances or bylaws may require additional notice, exceeding these minimums.
HIGH FLOOD-DAMAGE POTENTIAL
Damage that could result from flooding that includes any danger to life or health or any significant economic loss to a structure or building and its contents.
HISTORIC STRUCTURE
Any structure that is either:
(1) 
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;
(2) 
Certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as contributing to the historical significance of a registered historic district or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary to qualify as a registered historic district;
(3) 
Individually listed on a state inventory of historic places in states with historic preservation programs which have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or
(4) 
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places in communities with historic preservation programs that have been certified either by an approved state program, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior; or by the Secretary of the Interior in states without approved programs.
INCREASE IN REGIONAL FLOOD HEIGHT
A calculated upward rise in the regional flood elevation, equal to or greater than 0.01 foot, based on a comparison of existing conditions and proposed conditions which is directly attributable to development in the floodplain but not attributable to manipulation of mathematical variables such as roughness factors, expansion and contraction coefficients and discharge.
LAND USE
Any nonstructural use made of unimproved or improved real estate. (Also see "development.")
MANUFACTURED HOME
A structure transportable in one or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis and is designed to be used with or without a permanent foundation when connected to required utilities. The term "manufactured home" includes a mobile home but does not include a mobile recreational vehicle.
MOBILE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
A vehicle which is built on a single chassis, 400 square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projection, designed to be self-propelled, carried or permanently towable by a licensed, light-duty vehicle, is licensed for highway use if registration is required and is designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling, but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use. Manufactured homes that are towed or carried onto a parcel of land, but do not remain capable of being towed or carried, including park model homes, do not fall within the definition of "mobile recreational vehicle."
MUNICIPALITY or MUNICIPAL
The county, City or village governmental units enacting, administering and enforcing this Zoning Ordinance.
NAVD or NORTH AMERICAN VERTICAL DATUM
Elevations referenced to mean sea level datum, 1988 adjustment.
NGVD or NATIONAL GEODETIC VERTICAL DATUM
Elevations referenced to mean sea level datum, 1929 adjustment.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
(1) 
For floodplain management purposes, "new construction" means structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after the effective date of floodplain zoning regulations adopted by this community and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures.
(2) 
For the purpose of determining flood insurance rates, it includes any structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after the effective date of an initial FIRM or after December 31, 1974, whichever is later, and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures.
NONCONFORMING STRUCTURE
An existing lawful structure or building which is not in conformity with the dimensional or structural requirements of this chapter for the area of the floodplain which it occupies. (For example, an existing residential structure in the Flood-Fringe District is a conforming use. However, if the lowest floor is lower than the flood-protection elevation, the structure is nonconforming.)
NONCONFORMING USE
An existing lawful use or accessory use of a structure or building which is not in conformity with the provisions of this chapter for the area of the floodplain which it occupies (such as a residence in the floodway).
OBSTRUCTION TO FLOW
Any development which blocks the conveyance of floodwaters such that this development alone or together with any future development will cause an increase in regional flood height.
OFFICIAL FLOODPLAIN ZONING MAP
That map, adopted and made part of this chapter, as described in § 257-6B, which has been approved by the Department and FEMA.
OPEN SPACE USE
Those uses having a relatively low flood-damage potential and not involving structures.
ORDINARY HIGH-WATER MARK
The point on the bank or shore up to which the presence and action of surface water is so continuous as to leave a distinctive mark such as by erosion, destruction or prevention of terrestrial vegetation, predominance of aquatic vegetation, or other easily recognized characteristic.
PERSON
An individual, or group of individuals, corporation, partnership, association, municipality or state agency.
PRIVATE SEWAGE SYSTEM
A sewage treatment and disposal system serving one structure with a septic tank and soil absorption field located on the same parcel as the structure. It also means an alternative sewage system approved by the Department of Commerce, including a substitute for the septic tank or soil absorption field, a holding tank, a system serving more than one structure or a system located on a different parcel than the structure.
PUBLIC UTILITIES
Those utilities using underground or overhead transmission lines such as electric, telephone and telegraph, and distribution and collection systems such as water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer.
REASONABLY SAFE FROM FLOODING
Base floodwaters will not inundate the land or damage structures to be removed from the special flood hazard area and that any subsurface waters related to the base flood will not damage existing or proposed buildings.
REGIONAL FLOOD
A flood determined to be representative of large floods known to have occurred in Wisconsin. A regional flood is a flood with a one-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year, and if depicted on the FIRM, the RFE is equivalent to the BFE.
START OF CONSTRUCTION
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 on a site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the construction of columns, or any work beyond initial excavation, or the placement of a manufactured home on a foundation. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such as clearing, grading and filling; nor does it include the installation of streets and/or walkways; nor does it include excavation for a basement, footings, piers or foundations or the erection of temporary forms; nor does it include the installation on the property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main structure. For an alteration, 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.
STRUCTURE
Any man-made object with form, shape and utility, either permanently or temporarily attached to, placed upon or set into the ground, streambed or lake bed, including, but not limited to, roofed and walled buildings, gas or liquid storage tanks, bridges, dams and culverts.
SUBDIVISION
Has the meaning given in § 236.02(12), Wis. Stats.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE
Damage of any origin sustained by a structure, whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its pre-damaged condition would equal or exceed 50% of the equalized assessed value of the structure before the damage occurred.
UNNECESSARY HARDSHIP
Where special conditions affecting a particular property, which were not self created, have made strict conformity with restrictions governing areas, setbacks, frontage, height or density unnecessarily burdensome or unreasonable in light of the purposes of the chapter.
VARIANCE
An authorization by the Board of Adjustment or Appeals for the construction or maintenance of a building or structure in a manner which is inconsistent with dimensional standards (not uses) contained in the Floodplain Zoning Ordinance.
VIOLATION
The failure of a structure or other development to be fully compliant with the Floodplain Zoning Ordinance. A structure or other development without required permits, lowest floor elevation documentation, floodproofing certificates or required floodway encroachment calculations is presumed to be in violation until such time as that documentation is provided.
WATERSHED
The entire region contributing runoff or surface water to a watercourse or body of water.
WATER SURFACE PROFILE
A graphical representation showing the elevation of the water surface of a watercourse for each position along a reach of river or stream at a certain flood flow. A water surface profile of the regional flood is used in regulating floodplain areas.
WELL
An excavation opening in the ground made by digging, boring, drilling, driving or other methods, to obtain groundwater regardless of its intended use.
A. 
Areas to be regulated. This chapter regulates all areas that would be covered by the regional flood or base flood. Note: Base flood elevations are derived from the flood profiles in the Flood Insurance Study. Regional flood elevations may be derived from other studies. Areas covered by the base flood are identified as A-Zones on the Flood Insurance Rate Map.
B. 
Official Maps and revisions. The boundaries of all floodplain districts are designated as floodplains or A-Zones on the maps listed below and the revisions in the City of Rice Lake Floodplain Appendix. Any change to the base flood elevations (BFE) in the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) or on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) must be reviewed and approved by the DNR and FEMA before it is effective. No changes to regional flood elevations (RFEs) on non-FEMA maps shall be effective until approved by the DNR. These maps and revisions are on file in the Community Development office of the City of Rice Lake. If more than one map or revision is referenced, the most restrictive information shall apply.
(1) 
Official maps: based on the FIS for Barron County, Wisconsin and Incorporated Areas, Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), panel numbers: 55005C0245D, 55005C0263D, 55005C0382D, 55005C0391D, 55005C0392D, 55005C0401D, 55005C0402D, 55005C0403D, all dated December 3, 2009; with corresponding profiles that are based on the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) Number 55005CV000A, dated December 3, 2009.
Approved by: The DNR and FEMA.
(2) 
Official Maps: based on other studies. (Reserved).
C. 
Establishment of districts. The regional floodplain areas are divided into three districts as follows:
(1) 
The Floodway District (FW) is the channel of a river or stream and those portions of the floodplain adjoining the channel required to carry the regional floodwaters.
(2) 
The Flood-Fringe District (FF) is that portion of the floodplain between the regional flood limits and the floodway.
(3) 
The General Floodplain District (GFP) is those areas that have been or may be covered by floodwater during the regional flood.
D. 
Locating floodplain boundaries. Discrepancies between boundaries on the Official Floodplain Zoning Map and actual field conditions shall be resolved using the criteria in Subsection D(1) and (2) below. If a significant difference exists, the map shall be amended according to Article VIII. The Zoning Administrator can rely on a boundary derived from a profile elevation to grant or deny a land use permit, whether or not a map amendment is required. The Zoning Administrator shall be responsible for documenting actual predevelopment field conditions and the basis upon which the district boundary was determined and for initiating any map amendments required under this section. Disputes between the Zoning Administrator and an applicant over the district boundary line shall be settled according to § 257-27C and the criteria in Subsection D(1) and (2) below.
(1) 
If flood profiles exist, the map scale and the profile elevations shall determine the district boundary. The regional or base flood elevations shall govern if there are any discrepancies.
(2) 
Where flood profiles do not exist, the location of the boundary shall be determined by the map scale, visual on-site inspection and any information provided by the Department.
(3) 
Note: Where the flood profiles are based on established base flood elevations from a FIRM, FEMA must also approve any map amendment pursuant to § 257-31.
E. 
Removal of lands from floodplain. Compliance with the provisions of this chapter shall not be grounds for removing land from the floodplain unless it is filled at least two feet above the regional or base flood elevation, the fill is contiguous to land outside the floodplain, and the map is amended pursuant to Article VIII. Note: This procedure does not remove the requirements for the mandatory purchase of flood insurance. The property owner must contact FEMA to request a Letter of Map Change (LOMC).
F. 
Compliance. Any development or use within the areas regulated by this chapter shall be in compliance with the terms of this chapter, and other applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
G. 
Municipalities and state agencies regulated. Unless specifically exempted by law, all cities, villages, towns, and counties are required to comply with this chapter and obtain all necessary permits. State agencies are required to comply if § 13.48(13), Wis. Stats., applies. The construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of state highways and bridges by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation are exempt when § 30.2022, Wis. Stats., applies.
H. 
Abrogation and greater restrictions.
(1) 
This chapter supersedes all the provisions of any municipal zoning ordinance enacted under §§ 59.69, 59.692 or 59.694 for counties; § 62.23 for cities; § 61.35 for villages; or § 87.30, Wis. Stats., which relate to floodplains. If another ordinance is more restrictive than this chapter, that ordinance shall continue in full force and effect to the extent of the greater restrictions, but not otherwise.
(2) 
This chapter is not intended to repeal, abrogate or impair any existing deed restrictions, covenants or easements. If this chapter imposes greater restrictions, the provisions of this chapter shall prevail.
I. 
Interpretation. In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter are the minimum requirements liberally construed in favor of the governing body and are not a limitation on or repeal of any other powers granted by the Wisconsin Statutes. If a provision of this chapter, required by ch. NR 116, Wis. Adm. Code, is unclear, the provision shall be interpreted in light of the standards in effect on the date of the adoption of this chapter or in effect on the date of the most recent text amendment to this chapter.
J. 
Warning and disclaimer of liability. The flood protection standards in this chapter are based on engineering experience and scientific research. Larger floods may occur or the flood height may be increased by man-made or natural causes. This chapter does not imply or guarantee that non-floodplain areas or permitted floodplain uses will be free from flooding and flood damages. Nor does this chapter create liability on the part of, or a cause of action against, the municipality or any officer or employee thereof for any flood damage that may result from reliance on this chapter.
K. 
Severability. Should any portion of this chapter be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this chapter shall not be affected.
L. 
Annexed areas for cities and villages. The Barron County floodplain zoning provisions in effect on the date of annexation shall remain in effect and shall be enforced by the municipality for all annexed areas until the municipality adopts and enforces an ordinance which meets the requirements of ch. NR 116, Wis. Adm. Code, and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). These annexed lands are described on the municipality's Official Zoning Map. County floodplain zoning provisions are incorporated by reference for the purpose of administering this section and are on file in the office of the municipal Zoning Administrator. All plats or maps of annexation shall show the regional flood elevation and the location of the floodway.
M. 
General development standards. The community shall review all permit applications to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding. If a proposed building site is in a flood-prone area, all new construction and substantial improvements shall be designed or modified and adequately anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structure resulting from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic loads; be constructed with materials resistant to flood damage; be constructed by methods and practices that minimize flood damages; and be constructed with electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, and air-conditioning equipment and other service facilities designed and/or located so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding. Subdivisions shall be reviewed for compliance with the above standards. All subdivision proposals (including manufactured home parks) shall include regional flood elevation and floodway data for any development that meets the subdivision definition of this chapter.