Township of Plymouth, PA Floodplain Conservation Districts

The code enforcement officer shall issue a building permit only after it has been determined that the proposed work to be undertaken will be in conformance with the requirements of this and all other applicable codes and ordinances.

Prior to the issuance of any building permit, the code enforcement officer shall review the application for the permit to determine if all other necessary government permits required by state and federal laws have been obtained, such as those required by the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (Act 1966-537, as amended); the Pennsylvania Dam Safety and Encroachments Act (Act 1978-325, as amended); the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Act (Act 1937-394, as amended); and the U.S. Clean Water Act, Section 404, 33, U.S.C. 1344. No permit shall be issued until this determination has been made.

(c)

No encroachment, alteration, or improvement of any kind shall be made to any watercourse until all adjacent municipalities which may be affected by such action have been notified by the township and until all required permits or approvals have been first obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Dams, Waterways and Wetlands.

In addition, the Federal Insurance Administrator and Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs, Bureau of Community Planning, shall be notified by the township prior to any alteration or relocation of any watercourse.

Sec. 5-38.2 Application procedures and requirements.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

Application for such a building permit shall be made, in writing, to the code enforcement officer on forms supplied by the township. Such application shall contain the following:

Name and address of applicant.

Name and address of owner of land on which proposed construction is to occur.

Name and address of contractor.

(4)

Site location.

(5)

Listing of other permits required.

(6)

Brief description of proposed work and estimated cost.

(7)

A plan of the site showing the exact size and location of the proposed construction as well as any existing buildings or structures.

If any proposed construction or development is located entirely or partially within any identified floodplain area, applicants for building permits shall provide all the necessary information in sufficient detail and clarity to enable the code enforcement officer to determine that:

All such proposals are consistent with the need to minimize flood damage and conform with the requirements of this and all other applicable codes and ordinances;

All utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems are located and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage; and,

Adequate drainage is provided so as to reduce exposure to flood hazards.

(c)

Applicants shall file the following minimum information plus any other pertinent information under the Zoning Ordinance and SALDO as may be required by the code enforcement officer to make the above determination:

A completed building permit application form.

A plan of the entire site, clearly and legibly drawn at a scale of one (1) inch being equal to one hundred (100) feet or less, showing the following:

North arrow, scale, and date;

Topographic contour lines, if available;

All property and lot lines including dimensions, and the size of the site expressed in acres or square feet;

The location of all existing and proposed buildings, structures, and other improvements, including the location of any existing or proposed subdivision and land development;

The location of all existing streets, drives, and other accessways; and,

The location of any existing bodies of water or watercourses, identified floodplain areas, and, if available, information pertaining to the floodway, and the flow of water including direction and velocities.

(d)

Plans of all proposed buildings, structures and other improvements, drawn at suitable scale showing the following:

The proposed lowest floor elevation of any proposed building based upon National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929;

The elevation of the 100-year flood;

If available, information concerning the flood depths, pressures, velocities, impact and uplift forces and other factors associated with a 100-year flood; and,

(4)

Detailed information concerning any proposed floodproofing measures.

(e)

The following data and documentation:

Documentation, certified by a registered professional engineer or architect, to show that the cumulative effect of any proposed development within an FE (Special Floodplain Area), when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the elevation of the 100-year flood more than one (1) foot at any point.

A document, certified by a registered professional engineer or architect, which states that the proposed construction or development has been adequately designed to withstand the pressures, velocities, impact and uplift forces associates with the 100-year flood.

Such statement shall include a description of the type and extent of floodproofing measures which have been incorporated into the design of the structure and/or the development.

Detailed information needed to determine compliance with the provisions of article XXVII, Floodplain Conservation Districts, of the Zoning Ordinance, including:

The amount, location and purpose of any materials or substances which are intended to be used, produced, stored or otherwise maintained on site.

A description of the safeguards incorporated into the design of the proposed structure to prevent leaks or spills of the dangerous materials or substances during a 100-year flood.

(4)

The appropriate component of the Department of Environmental Protection's "Planning Module for Land Development."

(5)

Where any excavation of grading is proposed, a plan meeting the requirements of the Department of Environmental Protection, to implement and maintain erosion and sedimentation control.

Sec. 5-38.3 Review by county conservation district.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

A copy of all applications and plans for any proposed construction or development in any identified floodplain area to be considered for approval shall be submitted by the code enforcement officer to the county conservation district for review and comment prior to the issuance of a building permit. The recommendations of the conservation district shall be considered by the code enforcement officer for possible incorporation into the proposed plan.

Sec. 5-38.4 Review of application by others.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

A copy of all plans and applications for any proposed construction or development in any identified floodplain area to be considered for approval may be submitted by the code enforcement officer to any other appropriate agencies and/or individuals (e.g., planning commission, township engineer, etc.) for review and comment.

Sec. 5-38.5 Changes.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

After the issuance of a building permit by the code enforcement officer, no changes of any kind shall be made to the application, permit or any of the plans, specifications or other documents submitted with the application without the written consent or approval of the code enforcement officer. Requests for any such change shall be in writing, and shall be submitted by the applicant to the code enforcement officer for consideration.

Sec. 5-38.6 Placards.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

In addition to the building permit, the code enforcement officer shall issue a placard which shall be displayed on the premises during the time construction is in progress. This placard shall show the name of the building permit, the date of its issuance and be signed by the code enforcement officer.

Sec. 5-38.7 Start of construction.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

Work on the proposed construction and/or development shall begin within six (6) months and shall be completed within twelve (12) months after the date of the issuance of the building permit or the permit shall expire unless a time extension is granted, in writing, by the code enforcement officer. Construction and/or development shall be considered to have started with the preparation of land, land clearing, grading, filling, excavation of basement, footings, piers, or foundations, erection of temporary forms, the installation of piling under proposed subsurface footings, or the installation of sewer, gas and water pipes, or electrical or other service lines from the street.

Time extensions shall be granted only if a written request is submitted by the applicant, which sets forth sufficient and reasonable cause for the code enforcement officer to approve such a request.

Sec. 5-38.8 Inspection and revocation.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

During the construction period, the code enforcement officer or other authorized official shall inspect the premises to determine that the work is progressing in compliance with the information provided on the permit application and with all applicable municipal laws and ordinances. He shall make as many inspections during and upon completion of the work as are necessary.

In the discharge of his duties, the code enforcement officer shall have the authority to enter any building, structure, premises or development in the identified floodplain area, upon presentation of proper credentials, at any reasonable hour to enforce the provisions of this division.

(c)

In the event the code enforcement officer discovers that the work does not comply with the permit application or any applicable laws and ordinances, or that there has been a false statement or misrepresentation by any applicant, the code enforcement officer shall revoke the building permit and report such fact to council for whatever action it considers necessary.

(d)

A record of all such inspections and violation of this division shall be maintained.

Sec. 5-38.9 Fees.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

Applications for a building permit shall be accompanied by a fee, payable to the township based upon the estimated cost of the proposed construction as determined by the code enforcement officer at rates which are set forth in a resolution adopted from time to time by Plymouth Township Council.

Sec. 5-38.10 Enforcement.

[Ord. No. 1210, § 1, 12-16-1996]

Notices. Whenever the code enforcement officer or other authorized township representative determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there has been a violation of any provisions of this division, or of any regulations adopted pursuant thereto, the code enforcement officer shall give notice of such alleged violation as hereinafter provided. Such notice shall (a) be in writing; (b) include a statement of the reasons for its issuance; (c) allow a reasonable time not to exceed a period of 30 days for the performance of any act it requires; (d) be served upon the property owner or his agent as the case may require; provided, however, that such notice or order shall be deemed to have been properly served upon such owner or agent when a copy thereof has been served with such notice by any other method authorized or required by the laws of this Commonwealth; (e) contain an outline of remedial action which, if taken, will effect compliance with the provisions of this division.