The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The Central Valley of California is experiencing unprecedented development, resulting in the conversion of historically agricultural lands and communities to densely populated residential and urban centers.
(b) The Legislature recognizes that by their nature, levees, which are earthen embankments typically founded on fluvial deposits, cannot offer complete protection from flooding, but can decrease its frequency.
(c) The Legislature recognizes that the level of flood protection afforded rural and agricultural lands by the original flood control system would not be adequate to protect those lands if they are developed for urban uses, and that a dichotomous system of flood protection for urban and rural lands has developed through many years of practice.
(d) The Legislature further recognizes that levees built to reclaim and protect agricultural land may be inadequate to protect urban development unless those levees are significantly improved.
(e) Cities and counties rely upon federal flood plain information when approving developments, but the information available is often out of date and the flood risk may be greater than that indicated using available federal information.
(f) The Legislature recognizes that the current federal flood standard is not sufficient in protecting urban and urbanizing areas within flood prone areas throughout the Central Valley.
(g) Linking land use decisions to flood risk and flood protection estimates comprises only one element of improving lives and property in the Central Valley. Federal, state, and local agencies may construct and operate flood protection facilities to reduce flood risks, but flood risks will nevertheless remain for those who choose to reside in Central Valley flood plains. Making those flood risks more apparent will help ensure that Californians make careful choices when deciding whether to build homes or live in Central Valley flood plains, and if so, whether to prepare for flooding or maintain flood insurance.
(Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 364, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 2008.)
Copyright ©2024 LegalFix. All rights reserved. LegalFix is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and does not provide legal advice, services, or representation. The information on this website is an overview of the legal plans you can purchase—or that may be provided by your employer as an employee benefit or by your credit union or other membership group as a membership benefit.
LegalFix provides its members with easy access to affordable legal services through a network of independent law firms. LegalFix, its corporate entity, and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors do not provide legal advice, services, or representation—directly or indirectly.
The articles and information on the site are not legal advice and should not be relied upon—they are for information purposes only. You should become a LegalFix member to get legal services from one of our network law firms.
You should not disclose confidential or potentially incriminating information to LegalFix—you should only communicate such information to your network law firm.
The benefits and legal services described in the LegalFix legal plans are not always available in all states or with all plans. See the legal plan Benefit Overview and the more comprehensive legal plan contract during checkout for coverage details in your state.
Use of this website, the purchase of legal plans, and access to the LegalFix networks of law firms are subject to the LegalFix Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.