[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Colchester 6-9-1982.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
Certain areas of the Town of Colchester have been identified by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as being subject to periodic flooding from the waters of local streams and wetlands, with the implied potential of causing danger to residential properties within these areas. Relief is available in the form of flood insurance provided by the National Flood Insurance Program. It is the intent of this Town Meeting to recognize and duly evaluate flood hazards in all official actions relating to land use in areas having special flood hazards. Chapters 124 and 126 of the Connecticut General Statutes authorize the town to adopt land use and control measures.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish policies, permit requirements
and application procedures related to land use and development in special
flood hazard areas of the Town of Colchester, consistent with the regulations
of the National Flood Insurance Program, as published in the Federal Register,
Vol. 41 No. 207, October 26, 1976, which will maintain the eligibility of
the Town of Colchester for participation in that program. Said special flood
hazard areas shall be those areas designated by the Federal Insurance Administrator
and shown as Zone A on the Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps (FBMF) or the
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) for the Town and Borough of Colchester, a
copy of which is on file in the office of the Town Clerk and with the Building
Official.
The Town Meeting of the Town of Colchester hereby authorizes the First
Selectman to apply on behalf of the town to the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, Division of Insurance and Mitigation, for participation in the National
Flood Insurance Program and designates the Building Official as the official
responsible for maintaining information and records relating to the town's
participation in this program.
All official boards and commissions of the Town of Colchester shall
take into account flood and flood-related erosion hazards, to the extent that
they are known, in all official actions relating to land management and use
and shall, where applicable, adopt regulations consistent with the provisions
of this chapter.
The Building Official shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any
base flood (one-hundred-year flood) elevation data from federal, state or
other sources. Such information shall be made available to the Zoning and
Planning Commission.
Before issuing a permit for new construction within A Zones on the FBFM
or FIRM, the Building Official shall review the permit application to determine
that all new construction and substantial improvements (including the placement
of prefabricated buildings and mobile homes) shall be:
Before issuing a permit for new construction or substantial improvement
of residential structures within A Zones on the FBFM or FIRM, the Building
Official shall require that the lowest floor (including the basement) be elevated
to or above the base flood level.
A.
Before issuing a permit for new construction or substantial
improvement of nonresidential structures within A Zones on the FBFM or FIRM,
the Building Official shall require that the structure:
(1)
Have the lowest floor (including the basement) elevated
to or above the base flood level; or
(2)
Together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities,
be designed so that below the base flood level the structure is watertight
with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water and with structural
components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic
loads and effects of buoyancy.
B.
Where such floodproofing is utilized, a registered professional
engineer or architect shall certify that the floodproofing methods are adequate
to withstand loads and forces associated with the base flood, and a record
of such certification shall be maintained by the Building Official.
The Building Official shall:
A.
Obtain the elevation of all new or substantially improved
structures within A Zones on the FBFM or FIRM and whether or not such structures
contain a basement.
B.
Obtain, if the structure has been floodproofed, the elevation
in relation to mean sea level to which the structure was flood proofed.
C.
Maintain a public record of all such information.
The Building Official shall require all mobile homes placed within Zone
A on the FBFM or FIRM be anchored to resist flotation, collapse or lateral
movement by providing over-the-top and frame ties to ground anchors. Specific
requirements shall be that:
A.
Over-the-top ties be provided at each of the four corners
of the mobile home, with two additional ties per side at intermediate locations
and mobile homes less than 50 feet long requiring one additional tie per side.
B.
Frame ties be provided at each corner of the home with
five additional ties per side at intermediate points and mobile homes less
than 50 feet long requiring four additional ties per side.
C.
All components of the anchoring system be capable of
carrying a force of 4,800 pounds.
D.
Additions to the mobile home be similarly anchored.
The Building Official shall, prior to issuing any permit for construction
or other development located in Zone A on the FBFM or FIRM require evidence
from the applicant for such permit that all necessary permits have been received
from those governmental agencies from which approval is required by Federal
Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, 33 U.S.C. § 1334.
