§ 5-803. Flood control planning and management
West's Annotated Code of MarylandEnvironmentEffective: October 1, 2021
Effective: October 1, 2021
MD Code, Environment, § 5-803
§ 5-803. Flood control planning and management
(a) By January 1, 1982 the Department, after consultation with and consideration of recommendations submitted by subdivisions and the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Planning, shall designate a priority list of watersheds for the purpose of flood control planning and management and establish a schedule for completion of studies of these watersheds.
(b)(1) The Department, in cooperation with the subdivisions and the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Planning, shall conduct studies of the watersheds designated pursuant to subsection (a) of this section which shall define at least:
(c) As a part of the study undertaken under subsection (b) of this section, the Department shall delineate the flood hazard areas on maps showing areas of tidal and nontidal inundation.
(d)(1) By July 1, 1990 each subdivision, in cooperation with the Departments of the Environment and Agriculture, the Department of Planning, and other appropriate State agencies, shall prepare a flood management plan based upon an evaluation of the alternative management techniques and other findings included in studies conducted under subsection (b) of this section. Each flood management plan shall be consistent with the purposes and provisions of this subtitle.
(e) In any interjurisdictional watershed, those portions of the flood management plans of the subdivisions relating to the watershed shall be subject to review and approval by the Department as one plan. Any comprehensive flood management plan which includes a project for which grant funds are requested under this section is subject to review and approval by the Department. If a plan is disapproved, the Secretary shall set forth in writing the reason for disapproval. Disapproval of a plan shall be based only on flood management considerations.
(f) The Department and the subdivisions shall coordinate activities under this section with all related programs, including the national flood insurance program, the sediment control program, and the State water pollution control and abatement programs.
(g)(1) Each subdivision shall implement the flood management plan for its watershed. If a subdivision so elects, the Department, in consultation with the subdivision, shall prepare the regulations to implement the flood management plan. The subdivision shall adopt these regulations. If a municipality elects and the county agrees, the county, in consultation with the municipality, shall prepare the regulations. If the county does not agree, the Department, in consultation with the municipality, shall prepare, if requested, the regulations. The municipality shall adopt the regulations prepared for the municipality. Implementation of the flood management plans shall begin within 1 year after they are completed.
(2)(i) Baltimore City and Baltimore County shall include in the flood management plan for the Jones Falls watershed and adopt regulations prohibiting any person from erecting any new residential structure or any substantial residential structural changes which would constitute any amount of encroachment into the 100-year floodplain of the nontidal Jones Falls, and requiring all new nonresidential structures or improvements, except flood control projects, to be elevated above the 100-year flood elevation. However, these restrictions may be construed not to apply to any public works project of Baltimore City, Baltimore County, or the State.
(ii) In issuing any manner of permit or approval to any person to modify or renovate any existing structure or to modify the use of any open land area in the 100-year floodplain of the nontidal Jones Falls, Baltimore City or Baltimore County shall impose conditions to require that risk of injury to persons or property shall be minimized to the greatest extent practicable.
(h)(1) There is a comprehensive flood management grant program within the Department.
(3)(i) Subject to the approval of the Board of Public Works, the Department may provide grants to subdivisions for flood control and watershed management capital projects, and for the capital costs related to design, purchase, and installation of automated flood warning projects, provided that the projects are consistent with the plans and implementation prepared and adopted in accordance with this subtitle, and provided further that each project:
(7) Before awarding a grant under paragraphs (2), (3), or (4) of this subsection, the Department, in cooperation with the Department of Planning, shall review the flood control and watershed management operations of the applicant subdivision to assure that the flood control and watershed management operations are in compliance with this subtitle.
Credits
Added by Acts 1976, c. 691, § 1. Amended by Acts 1980, c. 352; Acts 1981, c. 675; Acts 1981, c. 741, § 1; Acts 1983, c. 458; Acts 1983, c. 463; Acts 1983, c. 569; Acts 1984, c. 255; Acts 1984, c. 600; Acts 1985, c. 272; Acts 1986, c. 453; Acts 1988, c. 6, § 1; Acts 1989, c. 540, § 1; Acts 1989, c. 674, § 7; Acts 1990, c. 6, § 2. Renumbered from Natural Resources § 8-9A-03 and amended by Acts 1995, c. 488, §§ 1, 8, eff. July 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1998, c. 314, § 1, eff. July 1, 1998; Acts 1999, c. 72, § 1, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 2000, c. 209, § 2, eff. July 1, 2000; Acts 2019, c. 651, § 1, eff. June 1, 2019; Acts 2019, c. 652, § 1, eff. June 1, 2019; Acts 2021, c. 287, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 288, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2021.
MD Code, Environment, § 5-803, MD ENVIR § 5-803
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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