AN ACT

RELATING TO LAND USE; REQUIRING COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO REGULATE BUILDINGS AND BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOOD HAZARD AREAS; REQUIRING STATE-FINANCED BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS TO COMPLY WITH NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM STANDARDS; AMENDING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 3-18-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1975, Chapter 14, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:

"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 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 department of public safety 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."

Section 2. PUBLIC BUILDINGS--COMPLIANCE WITH THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM.--A building that receives state appropriations for its construction or that is repaired or improved with state appropriations in an amount greater than fifty percent of the building's value before the repair or improvement shall comply with standards of the national flood insurance program and Section 3-18-7 NMSA 1978.