Section 49.600

Title VI COUNTY, TOWNSHIP AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISION GOVERNMENT

Chapter 49

Effective - 04 Mar 1991, see footnote   

  49.600.  National flood insurance program, adoption and rescission procedure — exemptions (certain second, third, fourth class counties). — 1.  The county commission, in all counties which have not adopted county planning and zoning, may, as provided by law, adopt or rescind by order or ordinance regulations to require compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency standards, necessary to comply with the national flood insurance program, in any flood hazard area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; provided, however, that no ordinance or order enacted pursuant to this section in any county shall be effective unless the county commission or governing body of the county submits to the voters of a county, at a county or state general, primary or special election, a proposal to authorize the county commission or governing body of the county to adopt such an order or ordinance.

  2.  The ballot of submission shall contain but need not be limited to the following language:

Shall the county of ______ enact an order or ordinance for such regulations as required for compliance with Federal Emergency Management standards, necessary to comply with the national flood insurance program, in any flood hazard area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency?
☐ YES	☐ NO
If you are in favor of the question, place an "X" in the box opposite "YES". If you are opposed to the question, place an "X" in the box opposite "NO".

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If a majority of the votes cast on the proposal by the qualified voters voting thereon are in favor of the proposal, then the ordinance or order and any amendments thereto shall be in effect.  If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified voters voting are opposed to the proposal, then the governing body of the county shall have no power to adopt such an order or ordinance.  The people of a county covered by sections 49.600 to 49.615 may rescind the order or ordinance regulations by presenting an initiative petition to the county commission of the county, with a minimum of five percent of the registered voters' signatures that voted in the last gubernatorial election.  After receiving the qualifying initiative petition the county commission shall place on the ballot at the next general election the following:

Shall national flood insurance programs be adopted in ______ County?
☐ YES	☐ NO

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If a majority of those voting vote for adopting the national flood insurance program, the program shall be continued; if a majority of those voting vote against adopting the national flood insurance program, the program shall be discontinued within thirty days after certification of the election results.

  3.  The provisions of this section shall not apply to the incorporated portions of the counties, or to the raising of livestock, crops, orchards or forestry, nor to seasonal or temporary impoundments used for rice farming or flood irrigation.  As used in this section, the term "rice farming or flood irrigation" means small berms of no more than eighteen inches high that are placed around a field to hold water for use for growing rice or for flood irrigation.  Nor shall this section apply to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration or extension of farm buildings or farm structures used for such purposes in an area not within the area shown on the flood hazard area map.  Nor shall this section apply to underground mining where entrance is through an existing shaft or shafts or through a shaft or shafts in an area not within the area shown on the flood hazard area map.

  4.  Levee districts organized pursuant to chapter 245 and drainage districts organized pursuant to chapters 242 and 243 are subject to flood plain management regulations adopted by a county pursuant to this chapter.

  5.  Nothing contained in sections 49.600 to 49.615 shall affect the existence or validity of an ordinance which a county has adopted prior to March 4, 1991.

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(L. 1980 S.B. 746 § 1, A.L. 1983 H.B. 34, A.L. 1983 S.B. 219, A.L. 1991 H.B. 72)

Effective 3-04-91