In order to prevent excessive damage to buildings and structures due to flooding conditions, the following provisions shall apply to all proposed construction or development occurring in any of the floodplain districts designated in the Chapter
445, Zoning, as amended.
The following are special definitions which
shall be used in making reasonable interpretations of the provisions
contained in this Part 2:
COMPLETELY DRY SPACE
A space which will remain totally dry during flooding; the
structure is designed and constructed to prevent the passage of water
and water vapor.
CONSTRUCTION
The construction, reconstruction, renovation, repair, extension,
expansion, alteration or relocation of a building, structure including
the placement of mobile homes.
DESIGNATED FLOODPLAIN DISTRICTS
Those floodplain districts specifically designated in Chapter
445, Zoning, as being inundated primarily by the one-hundred-year flood. Included would be areas identified as Floodway District (FW), Flood-Fringe District (FF) and General Floodplain District (FA).
DESIGNATED FLOODWAY DISTRICT OR AREA
The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas required to carry and discharge a flood of the one-hundred-year magnitude as specifically defined in Chapter
445, Zoning.
DEVELOPMENT
Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate,
including but not limited to buildings or other structures, the placement
of mobile homes, streets and other paving, utilities, mining, dredging,
filling, grading, excavation or drilling operations and the subdivision
of land.
ESSENTIALLY DRY SPACE
A space which will remain dry during flooding, except for
the passage of some water vapor or minor seepage; the structure is
substantially impermeable to the passage of water.
FLOODPROOFING
Means any combination of structural and nonstructural additions,
changes or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood
damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary
facilities, structures and their contents.
MOBILE HOME
Means a transportable, single-family dwelling intended for
permanent occupancy, office or place of assembly, contained in one
or more sections, built on a permanent chassis, which arrives at a
site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental
unpacking and assembly operations and constructed so that it may be
used with or without a permanent foundation. The term does not include
recreational vehicles or travel trailers.
MOBILE HOME PARK
A parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned
and improved for the placement of two or more mobile homes for nontransient
use.
OBSTRUCTIONS
Any wall, dam, wharf, embankment, levee, dike, pile abutment,
projection, excavation, channel, rectification, culvert, building,
fence, stockpile, refuse, fill, structure or matter in, along, across
or projecting into any channel, watercourse or designated floodplain
district, which may impede, retard or change the direction of the
flow of water either in itself or by catching or collecting debris
carried by such water or is placed where the flow of the water might
carry the same downstream to damage life and property.
ONE-HUNDRED-YEAR-FLOOD
A flood that, on the average, is likely to occur once every 100 years (i.e., that has a 1% chance of occurring each year, although the flood may occur in any year. This is more precisely defined/delineated in Chapter
445, Zoning.
Structures existing in any designated floodplain
districts prior to the enactment of this Article, but which are not
in compliance with these provisions, may continue to remain subject
to the following:
A. Existing structures located in a designated floodway
district or area shall not be expanded or enlarged, unless the effect
of the proposed expansion or enlargement on flood heights is fully
offset by accompanying improvements.
B. Any modification, alteration, reconstruction or improvement
of any kind to an existing structure, to an extent or amount of less
than 50% of its market value, shall be elevated and/or floodproofed
to the greatest extent possible.
C. Any modification, alteration, reconstruction or improvement
of any kind to an existing structure, to an extent or amount of 50%
or more of its market value shall be undertaken only in full compliance
with the provisions of this Article.
In addition to the permit application requirements
normally required under the City Building Code, as amended, the City Building Official shall require the following
specific information to be included as part of the application for
a building permit:
A. A plan which details the:
(1) Existing and proposed contours and/or elevation (in
relation to mean sea level, i.e., the National Geodetic Vertical Datum
of 1929) of the ground and the lowest floor of proposed construction.
(2) One-hundred-year-flood elevations.
(3) Other associated factors such as pressures and impact
forces, etc.
(6) Location and elevations of streets, water supply and
sanitary facilities.
(8) Floodproofing measures including specific reference
to the level of the floodproofing in relation to the one-hundred-year
flood.
B. A document, certified by a registered professional
engineer or architect, which states that the proposed construction
has been adequately designed to withstand the flood depths, pressures,
velocities, impact, the uplift forces and other hydrostatic, hydrodynamic
and buoyancy factors 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.
A copy of all applications and plans for construction
or development in any designated floodplain district to be considered
for approval shall be submitted by the City Building Official 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 City Building Official for possible incorporation
into the proposed plan.
Prior to the issuance of any building permit,
the City Building Official shall review the application for permit
to determine if all other necessary governmental permits such as those
required by state and federal laws have been obtained including those
required by Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, the Pennsylvania Water Obstructions Act of 1913, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act amendments
of 1972, Section 404, 33 U.S.C. 1334. No permit shall be issued until
this determination has been made.
For purposes of implementation this Article
II, construction shall be considered to have started with the first placement of permanent construction of the site, such as the pouring of slabs or footings or any work beyond the stage of excavation. For a structure without a basement or poured footings, the start of construction includes the first permanent framing or assembly of the structure or any part thereof on its pilings or foundation or the affixing of any prefabricated structures or mobile home to its permanent site. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, land clearing, grading, filling, excavation for basement, footings, piers or foundations, erection of temporary forms, the installation of pilings under the proposed subsurface footings or the installation of sewer, gas and water pipes or electric or other service lines from the street.