The Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has, by the passage of the Pennsylvania Flood Plain Management Act of 1978, delegated the responsibility to local governmental units to adopt floodplain management regulations to promote public health, safety, and the general welfare of its citizenry. Therefore, the Board of Supervisors of Metal Township does hereby order as follows.
The intent of this chapter is to:
A. 
Safeguard against the loss of life and property and promote the general health, welfare, and safety of the community.
B. 
Encourage the utilization of appropriate construction practices in order to prevent or minimize flood damage in the future.
C. 
Minimize danger to public health by protecting water supply and natural drainage.
D. 
Reduce financial burdens imposed on the community, its governmental units, and its residents, by preventing excessive development in areas subject to flooding.
E. 
Preserve the capacity and ability of natural waterways to carry flood- waters.
F. 
Regulate uses activities, and development which acting alone or in combination with other uses, activities, and development, will cause unacceptable increases in the elevation, velocity or frequency of flooding.
G. 
Restrict or prohibit certain uses, activities, and development from locating within areas prone to flooding.
H. 
Require all uses, activities and development that do occur in flood-prone areas to be protected and/or flood proofed against flooding and flood damage.
I. 
Comply with federal and state floodplain management requirements.
The floodplain management provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to all regulated activities proposed on lands within the Township which are identified as floodplain. It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, any regulated activity within such floodplains without prior approval by the Township. The following activities are "regulated activities" and shall be regulated by this chapter when proposed within an identified floodplain:
A. 
Land development.
B. 
Subdivision.
C. 
Construction and/or installation of new buildings or additions to existing buildings.
D. 
Earthwork or grading that alters the natural or pre-existing topography.
E. 
Import of fill material.
F. 
Road construction.
G. 
Construction or installation of drainage or flood conveyance structures.
H. 
Temporary and permanent floodplain and watercourse encroachments.
I. 
Temporary or permanent alterations, improvements or relocation of any watercourse.
J. 
Installation or construction of water and sanitary sewer facilities and other utilities.
K. 
Activities involving the use, production or storage of dangerous materials or substances that would pose a threat to human health, property or water supply.
L. 
Development.
This chapter supersedes any other conflicting provisions, which may be in effect in identified floodplain areas. However, any other ordinance provisions shall remain in full force and effect to the extent that those provisions are more restrictive. If there is any conflict between any of the provisions of this chapter, the more restrictive shall apply.
A. 
The degree of flood protection sought by the provisions of this chapter is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on acceptable engineering methods of study. Larger floods may occur; flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural causes, such as ice jams and bridge openings restricted by debris. This chapter does not imply that areas outside any identified floodplain areas, or that land uses permitted within such areas will be free from flooding or flood damages.
B. 
This chapter shall not create liability on the part of the Township or any officer or employee thereof for any flood damages that result from reliance on this chapter or any administrative decision lawfully made thereunder.