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A. The granting of an exception is a discretionary act. Upon receipt of a request for an exception, the administrator shall request the development services department to undertake an initial study pursuant to city council’s CEQA resolution. Fees as set by city council resolution shall be paid upon submission of each request for an exception.

B. Variances may be issued for the repair or rehabilitation of historic structures upon a determination that the proposed repair or rehabilitation will not preclude the structure’s continued designation as a historic structure and the variance is the minimum necessary to preserve the historic character and design of the structure.

C. Exemptions shall not be issued within any designated floodway if any increase in flood levels during the base flood discharge would result.

D. Exemptions shall only be issued upon a determination that it is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief.

E. Exemptions shall only be issued upon:

1. A showing of good and sufficient cause such as renovation, rehabilitation, or reconstruction. Exemptions may not be issued based upon economic considerations, aesthetics, or because variances have been used in the past;

2. A determination that failure to grant the exemption would result in exceptional hardship to the applicant; and

3. A determination that the granting of an exemption will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, create nuisances, cause fraud on or victimization to the public, or conflict with existing local laws or ordinances.

F. Any applicant to whom an exemption is granted shall be given written notice that the structure will be permitted to be built with a lowest floor elevation below the base flood elevation and that the cost of flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk resulting from the reduced floor elevation. (Ord. 5062 § 1, 2021; Ord. 4939 § 4, 2018; Ord. 4700 § 1, 2012; Ord. 4469 § 1, 2007)