If compliance with any of the requirements of this chapter would
result in an exceptional hardship to a prospective builder, developer
or landowner, the Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors may, upon
request, grant relief from the strict application of the requirements.
Requests for variances shall be considered by the Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors in accordance with the procedures contained in §
186-16 and the following:
A. No variance shall be granted within any identified floodplain area that would cause any increase in BFE. In A Area/District, BFEs are determined using the methodology in §
186-18C and/or
D.
B. Except for a possible modification of the regulatory flood elevation requirement involved, no variance shall be granted for any of the other requirements pertaining specifically to development regulated by special permit (Article
VI) or to development which may endanger human life (§
186-25).
C. If granted, a variance shall involve only the least modification
necessary to provide relief.
D. In granting any variance, the Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors
shall attach whatever reasonable conditions and safeguards it considers
necessary in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare,
and to achieve the objectives of this chapter.
E. Whenever a variance is granted, the Schuylkill Township Board of
Supervisors shall notify the applicant in writing that:
(1) The granting of the variance may result in increased premium rates
for flood insurance.
(2) Such variances may increase the risks to life and property.
F. In reviewing any request for a variance, the Schuylkill Township
Board of Supervisors shall consider, at a minimum, the following:
(1) That there is good and sufficient cause.
(2) That failure to grant the variance would result in exceptional hardship
to the applicant.
(3) That the granting of the variance will neither result in an unacceptable
or prohibited increase in flood heights, additional threats to public
safety, or extraordinary public expense, nor create nuisances, cause
fraud on, or victimize the public, or conflict with any other applicable
state or local ordinances and regulations.
G. A complete record of all variance requests and related actions shall
be maintained by the Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors. In
addition, a report of all variances granted during the year shall
be included in the annual report to the FEMA.
H. Notwithstanding any of the above, however, all structures shall be
designed and constructed so as to have the capability of resisting
the 1% annual chance flood.