The Legislature of the State of Texas has by statutes delegated the responsibility of local government to adopt regulations designed to minimize flood loses. It is the purpose of this ordinance 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:
- Protect human life and health
- Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects
- Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the public
- Minimize prolonged business interruptions
- Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water, electric, telephone, septic systems and sewer lines, and streets and bridges located in floodplains
- 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 future flood blight areas
- Insure that potential buyers are notified that property is in a flood area
In order to accomplish its purposes, this ordinance uses the following methods:
- Restrict or prohibit uses that are dangerous to health, safety or property in times of flood or cause excessive increases in flood heights or velocities
- Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction
- Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers, which are involved in the accommodation of flood waters
- Control filling, grading, dredging and other development which may increase flood damage
- Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert flood waters or which may increase flood hazards to other properties
The flood hazard areas of Denton County are subject to periodic inundation which result in loss of life and property. These flood loses are created by the cumulative effect of obstructions in the floodplain which cause an increase in flood heights and velocities, and by the occupancy of flood hazard areas by uses vulnerable to floods and hazardous to other lands because they are inadequately elevated, flood proofed or otherwise protected from flood damage.
Please contact Development Services at (940) 349-2990 for more information.