Ordinance No. 2025-521 – An Ordinance to Amend the Municipal Code of Tiffin, Iowa, Chapter 160, Flood Plain Management

CITY OF TIFFIN ORDINANCE NO. 2025-521 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF TIFFIN, IOWA, CHAPTER 160, FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT BE IT ENACTED by the City Council of the City of Tiffin, Iowa: Section I. Purpose: The purpose of this ordinance is to adopt and replace Chapter 160, Code of Ordinances, to include the updated ordinance. Section II. Amendment: Chapter 160 is hereby amended as follows: CHAPTER 160 FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT 160.01 Definitions 160.05 Flood Plain Management Standards 160.02 Statutory Authority, Findings of Fact 160.06 Variance Procedures and Purpose 160.07 Nonconforming Uses 160.03 General Provisions 160.08 Penalties for Violation 160.04 Administration 160.09 Amendments 160.01 DEFINITIONS. Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted so as to give them the meaning they have in common usage and to give this chapter its most reasonable application. 1. “Appurtenant structure” means a structure which is on the same parcel of the property as the principal structure to be insured and the use of which is incidental to the use of the principal structure 2. “Base flood” means the flood having one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year and is also commonly referred to as the “100-year flood.” 3. “Base flood elevation” (BFE) means the elevation floodwaters would reach at a particular site during the occurrence of a base flood event. 4. “Basement” means any enclosed area of a building which has its floor or lowest level below ground level (subgrade) on all sides. Also see “lowest floor.” 5. “Development” means any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including (but not limited to) buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations or storage of equipment or materials. “Development” does not include minor projects or routine maintenance of existing buildings and facilities, as defined in this section. It also does not include gardening, plowing, and similar practices that do not involve filling or grading. 6. “Enclosed area below lowest floor” means the floor of the lowest enclosed area in a building when all the following criteria are met: A. The enclosed area is designed to flood to equalize hydrostatic pressure during flood events with walls or openings that satisfy the provisions of Section 160.05(1)(D)(1) of this chapter. B. The enclosed area is unfinished (not carpeted, drywalled, etc.) and used solely for low damage potential uses such as building access, parking, or storage. C. Machinery and service facilities (e.g., hot water heater, furnace, electrical service) contained in the enclosed area are located at least one foot above the base flood elevation. D. The enclosed area is not a basement as defined in this section.