Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan: 10. Floods

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Chapter 10:Hazard Analysis—Floods 10.4 Mitigation Strategies 10.4.1 Previous/Current Efforts Description of adoption and enforcement of floodplain management requirements, including regulatory and inspection practices in Special Flood Hazard Areas: The County of Hawaii implements the FEMA/NFIP regulations through Hawaii County Code (HCC) Chapter 27 - Floodplain Management (attached). Chapter 27 was adopted on May 5, 1982 and was last updated on November 30, 2007. Implementation and enforcement of HCC Chapter 27 typically occurs during: review of subdivision proposals (HCC Chapter 23),building permits (HCC Chapter 8), grading/grubbing permits (HCC Chapter 10); and/or, public or private complaints. HCC Chapter 27 includes variance process from Chapter 27's requirements, which includes very specific criteria for reviewing, recording, reporting and appealing a variance. HCC Chapter 27's enforcement provisions include: right of entry; notice of violation and/or administrative order process; injunctive relief through the circuit court of the third district, State of Hawaii, or United States District Court, State of Hawaii; criminal enforcement, where violations constitute a misdemeanor and are subject to a fine of $1,000/day for each day of none compliance and/or one year imprisonment; and, removal of floodplain encroachment/obstruction notices, and/or removal of encroachment/obstruction by County at the violator's expense. See the appendix at the end of this chapter. Description of community assistance and monitoring activities: Assistance includes, in part, the following activities: participating in the NFIP so the community has access to flood insurance, and Federal disaster relief/low interest loans; maintaining and providing information/assistance on FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), Flood Insurance Studies and letter of map changes; requiring, reviewing and maintaining FEMA's Elevation Certificates for structures built within FEMA's Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA); providing review of subdivision proposals and related construction plans,building permits, grading/grubbing permits,which all relate to improvements proposed within FEMA's SFHA; providing FEMA flood zone determinations to the public, governmental agencies, lending institutions and realtors; Participating in FEMA's Community Rating System, which is a program to reduce flood insurance rates based on the County doing certain floodplain management activities; updating FEMA's FIRMS through detailed flood studies; receiving and as appropriate, responding to complaints related to activities with floodplains; providing review of variances and appeals, as provided in HCC Chapter 27; and, providing educational literature, presentations, website information and sponsoring training. Monitoring compliance with HCC Chapter 27 is accomplished, in part, by: requiring FEMA Elevation Certificates (pre and post construction submittals), which help assures buildings within SFHA are constructed in compliance with HCC Chapter 27; reviewing applications for subdivisions and related construction plans, building permits and grading/grubbing permits for compliance with HCC Chapter 27; responding to complaints and taking appropriate actions to correct noncompliance. Reviewing, approving, preparing, submitting to FEMA and maintaining Letter of Map Changes,which are used to update FEMA's FIRMS. 10-24 Hawaii County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan