The Old Saybrook Town Engineer is hereby appointed to administer
and implement the provisions of this chapter. The Town Engineer shall
have the responsibility and authority to grant or deny permit applications
for development in special flood hazard areas in accordance with the
provisions of this chapter. The Zoning Enforcement Officer and Building
Official serve as deputies to assist and act for the Town Engineer.
Where required under this chapter, a registered professional
engineer or architect shall certify that the design and methods of
construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice
for meeting the provisions of this chapter. Such certification must
be provided to the Old Saybrook Town Engineer.
A.
Prior to any development activities, the flood hazard area permit
section, and other applicable sections of the application for certificate
of zoning compliance shall be completed and submitted to the Zoning
Enforcement Officer on forms furnished by him or her. The application
shall be accompanied by fees as established by the Board of Selectmen.
No development activities shall be commenced within any special flood
hazard area until the application for certificate of zoning compliance
is approved.
B.
Such application shall be accompanied by two sets of plans drawn
to scale showing, at a minimum, the property lines and location of
the parcel; existing and proposed contours; existing or proposed structures,
fill, storage of materials, drainage facilities and the location of
the foregoing. The following information shall also be required in
connection with all applications:
(1)
Application stage.
(b)
Elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any nonresidential structure will be floodproofed [§ 128-20B(2)];
(c)
Description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development (§ 128-18H);
(d)
A statement as to whether or not the proposed alterations to an existing structure meet the criteria of the "substantial improvement" definition (§ 128-6);
(e)
Architectural and structural drawings for any proposed building,
including floor plans, elevations and typical sections, if requested;
(f)
Plans and details for any proposed breakaway walls, including
a certification that: a) breakaway wall collapse shall result from
a water load less that which would occur during the base flood; and
b) the elevated portion of the building and supporting foundation
system shall not be subject to collapse, displacement or other structural
damage due to the effects of wind and water loads acting simultaneously
on all building components (structural and nonstructural). Maximum
wind and water loading values to be used in this determination shall
each have a one-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any
given year (one-hundred-year mean recurrence interval). Design of
flood vents located within breakaway walls shall also be included.
(g)
Certification as to use of floodproofing for nonresidential structures, as required by § 128-20B(2);
(h)
Certification as to the provisions of § 128-20C governing fully enclosed areas below base flood elevation, if the minimum design criteria in § 128-20C(1)(a) through (c) is not used;
(j)
Completed elevation certificate on the most current available
FEMA form.
(k)
Additional information that may be required in order for the
Town Engineer to conduct a complete review.
(2)
Construction stage. Upon completion of the applicable portion of
construction, the applicant shall provide verification to the Town
Engineer of the following as is applicable:
(a)
For a structure in Zones A, AE, AO and AH, provide the elevation
of the top of the lowest floor (including basement). An elevation
certificate prepared by a Connecticut licensed land surveyor, engineer
or architect must be provided; or
[Amended 7-13-2021]
(b)
For a structure in Zone VE or a Coastal AE that is bounded by
a line labeled "Limit of Moderate Wave Action" (LiMWA), provide the
elevation of the lowest horizontal structural member (excluding pilings
or columns). An elevation certificate prepared by a Connecticut licensed
land surveyor, engineer or architect must be provided; or
(c)
For a nonresidential structure that has been dry floodproofed,
provide the elevation to which the floodproofing is effective (BFE
plus two feet for insurance purposes). A FEMA floodproofing certificate
(FEMA Form 81-65) prepared by a Connecticut licensed engineer or architect
retained by the applicant must be provided.
[Amended 7-13-2021]
(3)
Compliance. Deficiencies in the lowest floor elevations and any other
requirements of this chapter or other conditions of approval shall
be corrected by the permit holder immediately and prior to further
progressive work being permitted to proceed. Failure to make corrections
required hereby shall be cause for issuance of a stop-work order.
In the administration of this chapter, the Old Saybrook Town
Engineer shall perform the following duties, among others:
A.
Application stage.
(1)
Review all development permits to assure that the requirements of
this chapter have been satisfied;
(2)
Advise the permittee that additional federal or state permits may
be required, and if specific federal or state permit requirements
are known, require that copies of such permits be provided and maintained
on file with the application for certificate of zoning compliance.
Such additional permit requirements may include, but not be limited
to: coastal area management permit, water diversion permit, dam safety
permit, and Corps of Engineers 401 and 404 permits;
(3)
Notify adjacent communities and the Department of Environmental Protection,
Inland Water Resources Management Division, prior to any alteration
or relocation of a watercourse, and submit evidence of such notification
to the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(4)
Require, as a condition of any approval, that the flood-carrying
capacity within an altered or relocated portion of any watercourse
is maintained;
(5)
Make the necessary interpretation, where needed, as to the exact
location of boundaries of the special flood hazard areas. Any person
contesting the interpretation of the location of a boundary shall
be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as
provided in this chapter;
(6)
Require the applicant to provide base flood elevation data for all
proposed development, including manufactured home parks and subdivisions,
which are five acres or 50 lots, whichever occurs first, and are located
in Zone A; and
(7)
Obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state or other source, including data developed pursuant to § 128-17A(6) of this chapter, in order to administer the provisions of § 128-20, when base flood elevation data or floodway have not been provided in accordance with § 128-8.
B.
Construction stage.
(1)
Obtain, record and maintain the as-built elevation in relation to
mean sea level of the lowest floor, including basement, of all new
construction, or substantial improvement or repair to a structure
that has sustained substantial damage. The Town Engineer shall require
and maintain elevation certificates provided by the applicant and
prepared by a Connecticut licensed land surveyor, engineer or architect
containing this information;
(2)
Obtain, record and maintain the elevation in relation to mean sea
level to which all new construction, substantial improvements or repair
to a structure that has sustained substantial damage has been floodproofed.
The Town Engineer shall require and maintain FEMA floodproofing certificates
for nonresidential structures (FEMA Form 81-65). A floodproofing certificate
shall be provided by the applicant and prepared by a Connecticut licensed
engineer or architect containing this information;
(3)
In coastal high-hazard areas, obtain certification from a registered professional engineer or architect that the standard of § 128-20D(2) and (3) have been met; and
(4)
Maintain all records pertaining to the provisions of this chapter.
