Building permits within a floodplain shall be
required before any regulated construction or development is undertaken
within any area of the Township of Whitpain.
A.
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
Part 2 and all other applicable codes and ordinances.
B.
Prior to the issuance of any building permit, the
Code Enforcement Officer shall review the application for 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);[1] the Pennsylvania Dam Safety and Encroachments Act (Act
1978-325, as amended);[2] the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Act (Act 1937-394, as amended);[3] and the United States 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 required permits or
approvals have been first obtained from the Department of Environmental
Protection, Bureau of Dams and Waterway Management. In addition, the
Federal Insurance Administrator and Pennsylvania Department of Community
and Economic Development, Bureau of Community Planning, shall be notified
by the Township of Whitpain prior to any alteration or relocation
of any watercourse.
A.
Application for such a building permit within a floodplain
shall be made, in writing, to the Code Enforcement Officer, on forms
supplied by the Township of Whitpain. Such application for construction
within the floodplain shall contain the following:
(1)
The name and address of the applicant.
(2)
The name and address of the owner of land on which
the proposed construction is to occur.
(3)
The name and address of the contractor.
(4)
The site location.
(5)
A listing of other permits required.
(6)
A brief description of the 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.
B.
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:
(1)
All such proposals are consistent with the need to
minimize flood damage and conform to the requirements of this Part
2 and all other applicable codes and ordinances.
(2)
All utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas,
electrical and water systems, are located and constructed to minimize
or eliminate flood damage.
(3)
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 as may be required by the Code
Enforcement Officer to make the above determination:
(1)
A completed building permit application form.
(2)
A plan of the entire site, clearly and legibly drawn,
at a scale of one inch equals 40 feet or less, showing the following:
(a)
North arrow, scale and date.
(b)
Topographic contour lines, if available.
(c)
All property and lot lines, including dimensions,
and the size of the site expressed in acres or square feet.
(d)
The location of all existing and proposed buildings,
structures and other improvements, including the location of any existing
or proposed subdivision and land development.
(e)
The location of all existing streets, drives
and other accessways.
(f)
The location of any existing bodies of water
or watercourses and identified floodplain areas and, if available,
information pertaining to the floodway, and the flow of water, including
direction and velocities.
(3)
Plans of all proposed buildings, structures and other
improvements, drawn at a suitable scale, showing the following:
(a)
The proposed lowest floor elevation of any proposed
building based upon National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929.
(b)
The elevation of the one-hundred-year flood.
(c)
If available, information concerning flood depths,
pressures, velocities, impact and uplift forces and other factors
associated with a one-hundred-year flood.
(d)
Detailed information concerning any proposed
floodproofing measures.
(4)
The following data and documentation:
(a)
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 associated with the one-hundred-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.
(b)
(c)
The appropriate components of the Department
of Environmental Protection Planning Module for Land Development,
if required.
(d)
Where any excavation or grading is proposed,
a plan meeting the requirements of the Department of Environmental
Protection to implement and maintain erosion and sedimentation control.
(e)
Documentation, certified by a registered professional engineer or architect, to show that the cumulative effect of any proposed development within an AE Area/District without floodway, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the base flood elevation, as defined in Chapter 160, Article XXV of this Code, more than one foot at any point.
[Added 2-16-2016 by Ord.
No. 4-242]
