New Mexico § 3-18-7 - Additional county and municipal powers; flood and mudslide hazard areas; flood plain permits; land use control; jurisdiction; agreement

§ 3-18-7. Additional county and municipal powers; flood and mudslide hazard areas; flood plain permits; land use control; jurisdiction; agreement

A. For the purpose of minimizing or eliminating damage from floods or mudslides in

federal emergency management agency and locally designated flood-prone areas and for

the purpose of promoting health, safety and the general welfare, a county or municipality

with identified flood or mudslide hazard areas shall by ordinance: (1) designate and regulate flood plain areas having special flood or mudslide hazards; (2) prescribe standards for constructing, altering, installing or repairing buildings

and other improvements under a permit system within a designated flood or mudslide

hazard area; (3) require review by the local flood plain manager for development within a designated

flood or mudslide hazard area; provided that final decisions are approved by the

local governing body; (4) review subdivision proposals and other new developments within a designated flood

or mudslide hazard area to ensure that: (a) all such proposals are consistent with the need to minimize flood damage; (b) all public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems

are designed to minimize or eliminate flood damage; and (c) adequate drainage is provided so as to reduce exposure to flood hazards; (5) require new or replacement water supply systems or sanitary sewage systems within

a designated flood or mudslide hazard area to be designed to minimize or eliminate

infiltration of flood waters into the systems and discharges from the systems into

flood waters and require on-site waste disposal systems to be located so as to avoid

impairment of them or contamination from them during flooding; and (6) designate and regulate floodways for the passage of flood waters. B. A flood plain ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall substantially conform

to the minimum standards prescribed by the federal insurance administration, regulation

1910 issued pursuant to Subsection 7(d), 79 Stat. 670, Section 1361, 82 Stat. 587

and 82 Stat. 575, all as amended. C. A county or municipality that enacts a flood plain ordinance shall designate a

person, certified pursuant to the state-certified flood plain manager program, as

the flood plain manager to administer the flood plain ordinance. D. A county or municipality that has areas designated by the federal emergency management

agency and the county or municipality as flood-prone shall participate in the national

flood insurance program. E. A county or municipality shall have exclusive jurisdiction over flood plain permits

issued under its respective flood plain ordinance in accordance with this section

and so long as all structures built in flood plains are subject to inspection and

approval pursuant to the Construction Industries Licensing Act. Notwithstanding Section 3-18-6 NMSA 1978 , when a municipality adopts a flood plain ordinance pursuant to Paragraph (2) of

Subsection A of this section, the municipality's jurisdiction under the flood plain

ordinance may take precedence over a respective county flood plain ordinance within

the municipality's boundary and within the municipality's subdividing and platting

jurisdiction. F. A county or municipality shall designate flood plain areas having special flood

or mudslide hazards in substantial conformity with areas identified as flood- or mudslide-prone

by the federal insurance administration pursuant to the national flood insurance program

and may designate areas as flood- or mudslide-prone that may not be so identified

by the federal insurance administration. G. A municipality or county adopting a flood plain ordinance pursuant to this section

may enter into reciprocal agreements with any agency of the state, other political

subdivisions or the federal government in order to effectively carry out the provisions

of this section. H. The homeland security and emergency management department is designated as the

state coordinating agency for the national flood insurance program and may assist

counties or municipalities when requested by a county or municipality to provide technical

advice and assistance.