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<br />. <br />. <br />. <br />'. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />I. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />I. <br />i. <br />. <br />I. <br />I. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />I. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />'. <br />f. <br />,. <br />.. <br />. <br />.. <br />. <br />!. <br />. <br />. <br /> <br />FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT <br /> <br />Local Ordinance Requirements <br />Communities that manage their floodplains in Colorado do so most often through the local <br />regulatory process. This requires a community to adopt an ordinance or regulation, which sets <br />forth the performance standards by which development will occur in identified flood hazard <br />areas. Nationwide and in Colorado, regulations are enforced within the area of the tOO-year <br />floodplain. <br /> <br />The basic requirement of these regulations is that new development and significant improvement <br />of existing development cannot occur in the 100-year floodplain without a floodplain <br />development permit being obtained. Obtaining such a permit requires compliance with <br />engineering standards. In communities like Granby that have approximate floodplain <br />information, the engineering standards have been more general. Structures must be built with <br />materials and techniques that "minimize flood damages". For communities that have detailed <br />floodplain information, more specific regulations would apply. The use of engineering <br />techniques presented in this report can help the Town to better regulate its approximate <br />floodplain areas. <br /> <br />Flood Insurance <br />Flood insurance is made available to owners and occupants of flood prone property through the <br />federal government's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The federally backed flood <br />insurance is available to anyone in any community that participates in the NFIP. At the time of <br />this publication, the Town of Granby was not participating in the NFIP. Communities become <br />participants by adopting floodplain regulations, adopting an NFIP map (if one exists) and <br />agreeing to cooperate with the federal government in the local implementation of the NFIP. <br />Property owners and occupants can then contact an insurance agent familiar with the NFIP <br />(perhaps their own agent) and purchase insurance through that agent, much like they would <br />purchase homeowner's insurance. Brochures and other information regarding the National Flood <br />Insurance Program can be obtained by calling the Regional Office of the Federal Emergency <br />Management Agency (FEMA) in Denver at (303) 235-4830. <br /> <br />Floodplain Manlll!ement Alternatives <br />Besides floodplain regulations and flood insurance, there are many actions that can reduce the <br />risk of flood damage in a community. Generally these actions fall into two classes, structural <br />actions and non-structuraI actions. Structural actions involve the construction of facilities to <br />separate floodwaters from property that is at risk. They include construction of improved <br />channels, enlargement of crossing structures (bridges and culverts), levees and floodwalls, <br />reservoirs and ponds to detain floodwaters and diversion channels and pipes to direct waters <br />elsewhere. Non-strUcturaI actions usually involve removing people andlor structures from the <br />risk area without physically altering the floodplain. Actions include regulation of new <br />development, the adoption and enforcement of specific building code requirements, <br />floodproofing of existing buildings, relocation of structures to safer sites, acquisition of <br />floodplain (including buildings) for open space or other appropriate land uses, public education, <br />flood warning systems and emergency response programs. <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />ia <br />