1. (a) It is the purpose of this chapter to enable counties and municipalities that have not adopted effective land use ordinances under IC 36-7 to comply with the requirements of:

   1. (1) the federal National Flood Insurance Act (42 U.S.C. 4001 through 4127);
   2. (2) IC 14-28-1 ; and

   3. (3) IC 14-28-3 ;

      by permitting the establishment of a single-purpose zoning authority to adopt minimum standards and regulations for the management of identified flood hazard areas.

2. (b) Because zoning ordinances adopted under comprehensive planning legislation require extensive preparation time and because the national flood insurance program and the state statutes enacted under the program require identified counties and municipalities to regulate land use and improvements to the land in flood hazard areas before those zoning ordinances can be adequately prepared, this chapter authorizes counties and municipalities that do not have land use regulation ordinances in effect to form single-purpose flood plain commissions to administer certain local ordinances, including the following:

   1. (1) A set of minimum standards and regulations to meet the requirements of state and federal flood hazard area programs.
   2. (2) An improvement location permit system to ensure that every new location, land use, or structure in the jurisdiction conforms to flood hazard area regulations.

   3. (3) A set of enforcement procedures suitable to ensure minimum compliance with the regulations.

      [Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 13-2-22.6-25.]

As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.21.