It is the purpose of this chapter to:
A. 
Promote the public health, safety and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specific areas of the Town of Wolcott by the establishment of standards designed to:
(1) 
Protect human life and public health;
(2) 
Minimize expenditure of money for costly flood control projects;
(3) 
Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding;
(4) 
Minimize prolonged business and employment interruptions;
(5) 
Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities;
(6) 
Help maintain a stable tax base;
(7) 
Ensure that purchasers of property are notified of special flood hazards; and
(8) 
Ensure that persons who occupy areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions; and
B. 
Ensure continued eligibility of owners of property in the Town of Wolcott for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program pursuant to rules and regulations published in the Federal Register.
This chapter is applicable to all special flood hazard areas within the Town of Wolcott as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its Flood Insurance Study (FIS) for New Haven County, Connecticut, dated December 17, 2010, accompanying Flood insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), dated December 17, 2010, and other supporting data applicable to the Town of Wolcott, and any subsequent revisions thereto, which are adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter. Since mapping is legally adopted by reference into this chapter, it must take precedence when more restrictive until such time as a map amendment or map revision is obtained from FEMA. The area of special flood hazard includes any area shown on the FIRM as Zones A and AE, including areas designated as a floodway on a FIRM. Areas of special flood hazard are determined utilizing the base flood elevations (BFE) provided on the flood profiles in the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) for a community. BFEs provided on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) are only approximate (rounded up or down) and should be verified with the BFEs published in the FIS for a specific location.
Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to the construction of buildings or structures; the construction of additions, alterations or substantial improvements to buildings or structures; the placement of buildings or structures; mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage of equipment; the storage, deposition, or extraction of materials; and the installation, repair or removal of public or private sewage disposal systems or water supply facilities may be made within the special flood hazard area only in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
This chapter is not intended to repeal, abrogate or impair any easements or other laws, regulations or ordinances, and whichever imposes the more stringent restrictions shall prevail.
In the interpretation and application of this chapter, all provisions shall be considered as minimum requirements and shall be construed so as to preserve and maintain the purpose and intent hereof.
The degree of flood protection established by this chapter is considered reasonable for Townwide regulatory purposes and is based on available scientific and engineering studies. Larger floods may occur on rare occasions, and flood heights may increase as a result of man-made or natural causes. This chapter does not imply that land outside of special flood hazard areas will be free from flooding or flood damages. This chapter shall not create liability on the part of the Town of Wolcott, any officer or employee thereof or the Federal Emergency Management Agency for any flood damages that result from reliance on this chapter or any administrative decision lawfully made hereunder.