(a) The legislature finds:

(1) a large portion of the state's land resources is subject to recurrent flooding by overflow of streams and other watercourses causing loss of life and property, disruption of commerce and governmental services, unsanitary conditions, and interruption of transportation and communications, all of which are detrimental to the health, safety, welfare, and property of the occupants of flooded lands and the people of this state; and

(2) the public interest necessitates sound land use development as land is a limited and irreplaceable resource, and the floodplains of this state are a land resource to be developed in a manner which will result in minimum loss of life and threat to health, and reduction of private and public economic loss caused by flooding.

(b) It is the policy of this state to reduce flood damages through floodplain management, stressing nonstructural measures such as floodplain zoning and floodproofing, flood warning practices, and other indemnification programs that reduce public liability and expense for flood damages.

(c) It is the policy of this state:

(1) not to prohibit but to guide development of the floodplains consistent with legislative findings;

(2) to provide state coordination and assistance to local governmental units in floodplain management;

(3) to encourage local governmental units to adopt, enforce and administer sound floodplain management ordinances;

(4) to provide the commissioner of natural resources with authority necessary to carry out a floodplain management program for the state and to coordinate federal, state, and local floodplain management activities in this state; and

(5) to provide incentives for communities to participate in the national flood insurance program and for citizens of Minnesota to take actions such as purchasing and maintaining flood insurance to reduce future flood damage to private property.

History: 1990 c 391 art 6 s 3; 2Sp1997 c 2 s 17