A.
For the purposes of this chapter, the areas identified as Floodway,
Flood Fringe or Floodplain shall be any areas of the City of Latrobe,
classified as special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) in the Flood Insurance
Study (FIS) and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
dated March 17, 2011, and issued by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) or the most recent revision thereof, including all digital
data developed as part of the Flood Insurance Study. The above-referenced
FIS and FIRMs, and any subsequent revisions and amendments are hereby
adopted by the City of Latrobe and declared to be a part of this chapter.
B.
A map showing all areas considered to be flood prone is available
for inspection at the Secretary's office. For the purposes of
this chapter, the following nomenclature is used in referring to the
various kinds of flood-prone areas:
(1)
FW: the area identified as "Floodway" in the FIS that represents
the channel of a watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must
be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively
increasing the water surface elevation by more than one foot at any
point. This term shall also include floodway areas that have been
identified in other available studies or sources of information for
those special floodplain areas where no floodway has been identified
in the FIS.
(2)
FF: the areas identified as Zones AE and A1-30 in the FIS which are
subject to inundation by the one-percent-annual-chance flood event
determined by detailed methods and have base flood elevations (BFEs)
shown.
(3)
FA: the areas identified as Zone A in the FIS for which no one-hundred-year
flood elevations have been provided. When available, information from
other federal, state, and other acceptable sources shall be used to
determine the one-hundred-year elevations, as well as a Floodway Area,
if possible. When no other information is available, the one-hundred-year
elevation shall be determined by using a point on the boundary of
the indentified floodplain area that is nearest the construction site
in question. In lieu of the above, the municipality may require the
applicant to determine the elevation with hydrologic and hydraulic
engineering techniques. Hydrologic and hydraulic analyses shall be
undertaken only by professional engineers or others of demonstrated
qualifications, who shall certify that the technical methods used
correctly reflect currently accepted technical concepts. Studies,
analyses, computations, etc., shall be submitted in sufficient detail
to allow a thorough technical review by the City of Latrobe.
A.
FW (Floodway Area). Any encroachment that would cause any increase
in flood heights shall be prohibited. No new construction or development
shall be allowed, unless a permit is obtained from the Department
of Environmental Protection Regional Office.
B.
FF (Flood-Fringe Area). No new construction or development shall
be located within the area measured 50 feet landward from the top
of bank of any watercourse unless a permit is obtained for the Department
of Environmental Prepetition Regional Office. In FF without a designated
floodway, no new development shall be permitted unless it can be demonstrated
that the cumulative effect of all past and projected development will
not increase the BFE by more than one foot.
C.
FA (General Floodplain Area). No new construction or development
shall be located with the area measured 50 feet landward from the
top of bank of any watercourse, unless a permit is obtained from the
Department of Environmental Protection Regional Office.
A.
The areas considered to be flood prone may be revised or modified
by Latrobe where studies or information provided by a qualified agency
or person documents the need or possibility for such a region.
B.
Prior to any such change, approval must be obtained from FEMA. Additionally,
as soon as practicable but not later than six months after the date
such information becomes available, a community shall notify FEMA
of the changes by submitting technical or scientific data. Technical
or scientific data shall be submitted to FEMA for a Letter of Map
Revision (LOMR) within six months of the completion of any new construction,
development, or other activity resulting in changes in the BFE.
C.
Disputes. Should a dispute arise concerning the identification of
any flood-prone area, an initial determination shall be made by the
Floodplain Administrator, and any aggrieved by such decisions may
appeal to the Council of Latrobe. The burden of proof shall be on
the appellant.
