(1) Floodplain Management Ordinance No. 127, 1980, together with certain FEMA maps, was approved by the Board of Clallam County Commissioners in December, 1980 for various purposes, including public protection and minimizing public and private losses due to flood conditions in specified areas.

(2) Said FEMA maps designate special flood hazard areas within which the floodplain management ordinance requires new construction to be above the base flood elevation.

(3) When the County receives a construction permit application for property within a special flood hazard area, the Building Official must determine whether the development site is above or below the base flood elevation. In an obvious situation the Building Official may determine whether the development site is above or below the base flood evaluation without a survey, otherwise, the applicant may be required to provide an engineering survey establishing the elevation of the development site.

(4) Presently, there is no means for an owner of property within a special flood hazard area to know whether or not his property contains a buildable site unless the property owner submits a construction permit application.

(5) It is in the public interest to provide a method whereby a determination may be made prior to receipt of a construction permit application as to whether a potential building site is above or below base flood elevation.