[Ord. 652, 8/6/2014, § 8-401]
1.
The Identified Floodplain Area shall be:
A.
Any areas of the Township, classified as special flood hazard areas
("SFHAs") in the FIS and the accompanying FIRMs dated September 26,
2014 and issued by FEMA or the most recent revision thereof, including
all digital data developed as part of the Flood Insurance Study; and
B.
Any Community Identified Flood Hazard Areas.
2.
The above referenced FIS and FIRMs, and any subsequent revisions
and amendments are hereby adopted by the Township and declared to
be a part of this chapter.
[Ord. 652, 8/6/2014, § 8-402]
The Identified Floodplain Area shall consist of the following
specific areas:
A.
The Floodway Area/District identified as Floodway in the FIS which
represents the channel of a water course 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 which
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.
(1)
Within any Floodway Area/District, encroachments, including fill,
new construction, substantial improvements, or other development shall
not be permitted unless it has been demonstrated through hydrologic
and hydraulic analysis performed in accordance with standard engineering
practices that the proposed encroachment would not result in any increase
in flood levels within the Township during the occurrence of the base
flood discharge.
(2)
Within any Floodway Area, no new construction or development shall
be allowed, unless a permit is obtained from the Department of Environmental
Protection Regional Office.
B.
The AE Area/District shall be those areas identified as an AE Zone
on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for which base flood
elevations have been provided.
(1)
The AE Area adjacent to the Floodway shall be those areas identified
as an AE Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for
which base flood elevations have been provided and a floodway has
been delineated.
(2)
The AE Area/District without Floodway shall be those areas identified
as an AE Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA and
for which base flood elevations have been provided in the FIS but
no floodway has been delineated.
(a)
No Floodplain Permit shall be granted for any construction,
development, use, or activity within any AE Area/District without
Floodway unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect of the
proposed development would not, together with all other existing and
anticipated development, increase the BFE more than one foot at any
point.
(b)
No new construction or development shall be located within the
area measured 50 feet landward from the top-of-bank of any watercourse,
unless the appropriate permit is obtained from the Department of Environmental
Protection Regional Office.
C.
The A Area/District shall be those areas identified as an A Zone
on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA and for which no
base flood elevations have been provided. For these areas, elevation
and floodway information from other federal, state, or other acceptable
source shall be used when available. Where other acceptable information
is not available, the elevation shall be determined by using the elevation
of a point on the boundary of the Identified Floodplain Area which
is nearest the construction site.
In lieu of the above, the Township 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 Township.
D.
Community Identified Flood Hazard Areas shall be those areas where
the Township has identified local flood hazard or ponding areas, as
delineated and adopted on a "Local Flood Hazard Map" using best available
topographic data and locally derived information such as flood of
record, historic high water marks, soils or approximate study methodologies.
[Ord. 652, 8/6/2014, § 8-403]
The Identified Floodplain Area may be revised or modified by
the Board of Supervisors where studies or information provided by
a qualified agency or person documents the need for such revision.
However, 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, the Township
shall notify FEMA of the changes by submitting technical or scientific
data.
[Ord. 652, 8/6/2014, § 8-404]
Should a dispute concerning any identified floodplain boundary arise, an initial determination shall be made by the Floodplain Administrator and any party aggrieved by this decision or determination may appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27]. The burden of proof shall be on the appellant.
[Ord. 652, 8/6/2014, § 8-405]
Prior to development occurring in areas where annexation or
other corporate boundary changes are proposed or have occurred, the
Township shall review flood hazard data affecting the lands subject
to boundary changes. The Township shall adopt and enforce floodplain
regulations in areas subject to annexation or corporate boundary changes
which meet or exceed those in 44 CFR 60.3.