The identified floodplain area shall consist of the following
specific areas:
A. Floodway area.
(1) Description.
(a)
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.
(b)
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) Special requirements.
(a)
Within any floodway area, no encroachments, including fill,
new construction, substantial improvements, or other development shall
be permitted unless it has been demonstrated through hydrologic and
hydraulic analysis performed in accordance with standard engineering
practice that the proposed encroachment would not result in any increase
in flood levels within the community during the occurrence of the
base flood discharge.
(b)
No new construction or development shall be allowed, unless
a permit is obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection
Regional Office.
B. Special floodplain area.
(1) Description: 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.
(2) Special requirements.
(a)
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 from the Department of Environmental Protection
Regional Office.
(b)
In special floodplain areas 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. Approximate floodplain area.
(1) Description: the areas identified as an A Zone on the FIRM included
in the FIS prepared by FEMA that are subject to inundation by the
one-percent-annual-chance flood event determined using approximate
methodologies. Because detailed hydraulic analyses have not been performed,
no BFEs or flood depths are shown.
(2) Special requirements.
(a)
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 from the Department of Environmental Protection
Regional Office.
(b)
When available, information from other federal, state, and other
acceptable sources shall be used to determine the BFE, as well as
a floodway area, if possible. When no other information is available,
the BFE shall be determined by using a point on the boundary of the
identified floodplain area that is nearest the construction site in
question.
(c)
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 Borough of Punxsutawney.
D. Shallow flooding area.
(1) Description: the areas identified as Zones AO and AH in the FIS.
These areas are subject to inundation by one-percent-annual-chance
shallow flooding where average depths are between one and three feet.
(2) Special requirements: establish drainage paths to guide floodwaters
around and away from structures on slopes.
The identified floodplain area may be revised or modified by
the Council 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, a community shall notify FEMA
of the changes by submitting technical or scientific data.
Should a dispute concerning any identified floodplain boundary
arise, an initial determination shall be made by the Borough of Punxsutawney
Planning Commission and any party aggrieved by this decision or determination
may appeal to the Council. The burden of proof shall be on the appellant.
Prior to development occurring in areas where annexation or
other corporate boundary changes are proposed or have occurred, the
community shall review flood hazard data affecting the lands subject
to boundary changes. The community 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.