The identified floodplain area shall consist of the following
specific areas:
A. The Floodway Area shall be those areas identified in the FIS and
the FIRM as floodway and which represent the channel of a watercourse
and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge
the base flood without increasing the water surface elevation by more
than one foot at any point. This term shall also include floodway
areas which have been identified in other available studies or sources
of information for those Special Flood Hazard Areas where no floodway
has been identified in the FIS and FIRM.
(1)
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.
(2)
Within any floodway area, no new construction or development
shall be allowed, unless the appropriate permit is obtained from the
Department of Environmental Protection Regional Office.
B. The AE Area/District shall be those areas identified as an AE Zone
on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for which base flood
elevations have been provided.
(1)
The AE Area adjacent to the floodway shall be those areas identified
as an AE Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for
which base flood elevations have been provided and a floodway has
been delineated.
C. The A Area/District shall be those areas identified as an A Zone
on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA and for which no
base flood elevations have been provided.
(1)
For these areas, elevation and floodway information from other
federal, state, or other acceptable sources shall be used when available.
Where other acceptable information is not available, the base flood
elevation shall be determined by using the elevation of a point on
the boundary of the identified floodplain area which is nearest the
construction site.
(2)
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 municipality.
D. Community-identified flood hazard areas shall be those areas where
Township of South Fayette has identified local flood hazard or ponding
areas, as delineated and adopted on a "Local Flood Hazard Map" using
best available topographic data and locally derived information such
as flood of record, historic high water marks, soils or approximate
study methodologies.
The identified floodplain area may be revised or modified by the Board of Commissioners where studies or information provided by a qualified agency or person documents the need for such revision. However, prior to any such change to the Special Flood Hazard Area, 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 to the Special Flood Hazard Area by submitting technical or scientific data. See §
160-501B for situations where FEMA notification is required.
Should a dispute concerning any identified floodplain boundary
arise, an initial determination shall be made by the Township of South
Fayette and any party aggrieved by this decision or determination
may appeal to the Board of Commissioners. 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.