The Columbus Consolidated Government
Planning Department
Post Office Box 1340 Columbus, Georgia 31902-1340
Telephone (706) 653-4116
Fax (706) 653-4120
Website: www.columbusga.com/mpo
03/04/2008
Honorable Mayor and Councilors
City Manager
City Attorney
Clerk of Council
Subject: (ZC0801-4) Request to amend the text of the Unified Development
Ordinance to amend Chapter 8, Article 5, Flood Damage Prevention
As part of the Flood Hazard Map Modernization process, the Columbus
Consolidated Government submitted a copy of its Flood Damage Reduction (a.k.a.
Floodplain Management) Ordinance to the Georgia Environmental Protection
Division (EPD) for review prior to the effective date of September 5, 2007.
The modification to the existing Ordinance (UDO 8.5) brought the Flood Damage
Reduction Ordinance into compliance with State guidance, mirroring State
guidance in both format and content.
Upon review by the Engineering Department staff, it was discovered that there
were typographical corrections needed regarding a date listed in the ordinance
and the fine amount was left blank. The changes have been made and are listed
below (bold & underlined):
?The Areas of Special Flood Hazard identified by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency in its Flood Insurance Study (?FIS?), dated September 5,
2007, with accompanying maps and other supporting data and any revision
thereto, are adopted by reference and declared a part of this ordinance. For
those land areas acquired by a municipality through annexation, the current
effective FIS dated September 5, 2007, with accompanying maps and other
supporting data and any revision thereto for Fort Benning are hereby adopted by
reference.?
And
?Failure to comply with the provisions of this ordinance or with any of its
requirements, including conditions and safeguards established in connection
with grants of variance or special exceptions shall constitute a violation.
Any person who violates this ordinance or fails to comply with any of its
requirements shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $1,000.00;
and in addition, shall pay all costs and expenses involved in the case. Each
day such violation continues shall be considered a separate offense. Nothing
herein contained shall prevent the Columbus Consolidated Government from taking
such other lawful actions as is necessary to prevent or remedy any violation.?
The Planning Advisory Commission considered this text amendment at their
meeting on February 20, 2008. The Planning Advisory Commission recommended
that this text change be approved.
The Planning Department recommends approval.
Attached is a copy of the Planning Department?s Staff Report.
Sincerely,
Rick Jones, AICP
Director of Columbus Metropolitan Planning Organization
STAFF REPORT
ZC0801-4
APPLICATION
As part of the Flood Hazard Map Modernization process, the Columbus
Consolidated Government submitted a copy of its Flood Damage Reduction (a.k.a.
Floodplain Management) Ordinance to the Georgia Environmental Protection
Division (EPD) for review prior to the effective date of September 5, 2007.
The modification to the existing Ordinance (UDO 8.5) brought the Flood Damage
Reduction Ordinance into compliance with State guidance, mirroring State
guidance in both format and content.
Upon review by the Engineering Department staff, it was discovered that there
were typographical corrections needed regarding a date listed in the ordinance
and the fine amount was left blank. The changes have been made and are listed
below under ?Proposed Text Amendment?.
PROPOSED TEXT AMMENDMENT
Section 8.5.2, ?Basis for Area of Special Flood Hazard? of the Columbus Code is
hereby amended by deleting the first paragraph of Paragraph B and replacing it
with the following language:
?The Areas of Special Flood Hazard identified by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency in its Flood Insurance Study (?FIS?), dated September 5,
2007, with accompanying maps and other supporting data and any revision
thereto, are adopted by reference and declared a part of this ordinance. For
those land areas acquired by a municipality through annexation, the current
effective FIS dated September 5, 2007, with accompanying maps and other
supporting data and any revision thereto for Fort Benning are hereby adopted by
reference.?
And
Section 8.5.2, ?Penalties for Violation? of the Columbus Code is hereby amended
by deleting Paragraph H in its entirety and replacing it with the following
language:
?Failure to comply with the provisions of this ordinance or with any of its
requirements, including conditions and safeguards established in connection
with grants of variance or special exceptions shall constitute a violation.
Any person who violates this ordinance or fails to comply with any of its
requirements shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $1,000.00;
and in addition, shall pay all costs and expenses involved in the case. Each
day such violation continues shall be considered a separate offense. Nothing
herein contained shall prevent the Columbus Consolidated Government from taking
such other lawful actions as is necessary to prevent or remedy any violation.?
PLANNING ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Advisory Commission considered this text amendment at their
meeting on February 20, 2008. The Planning Advisory Commission recommended
approval.
PLANNING DIVISION RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Department recommends approval.
MAPS & PHOTOS
Attachments
No attachments for this document.