[Amended 3-28-2017 by Ord. No. 432]
A. 
The identified floodplain area shall be any areas of the Borough of Chalfont classified as special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) in the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) dated March 21, 2017, and issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the most recent revision thereof, including all digital data developed as part of the Flood Insurance Study.
B. 
The above-referenced FIS and FIRMs, and any subsequent revisions and amendments, are hereby adopted by the Borough of Chalfont and declared to be a part of this chapter.
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. 
A Area/District.
(1) 
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. 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.
The identified floodplain area may be revised or modified by the Council 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 § 216-24B for situations where FEMA notification is required.
Should a dispute concerning any identified floodplain boundary arise, an initial determination shall be made by the Floodplain Administrator, and any party aggrieved by this decision or determination may appeal to the Council. 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.
The floodplain areas described above shall be overlays to the existing underlying district as shown on the Official Zoning Map, and as such the provisions of the floodplain district shall serve as a supplement to the underlying district provisions. Where there happens to be any conflict between provisions or requirements of any of the floodplain districts and those of any underlying district ,the more restrictive provisions shall apply.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The following uses are permitted by right in the identified floodplain areas, provided that they are in compliance with the underlying district, are not prohibited by any other ordinance and shall include no structures, fill or storage of material and/or equipment. A floodplain permit shall be required in accordance with § 216-8.
A. 
Agricultural uses such as general farming, pasture grazing, outdoor plant nurseries, horticulture, truck farming, forestry, sod farming and wild crop harvesting.
B. 
Public and private recreational uses and activities such as parks, day camps, picnic grounds, golf courses, boat launching and swimming areas, hiking and horseback riding trails, wildlife and nature preserves, game farms, fish hatcheries, trap and skeet ranges and hunting and fishing areas.
C. 
Accessory residential uses such as yard areas, gardens, play areas and pervious parking areas.
D. 
Accessory industrial and commercial uses such as yard areas, pervious parking and loading areas, airport landing strips, etc.
The following uses are permitted by special exception in the identified floodplain areas except the floodway, provided that they are in compliance with the underlying district and are not prohibited by any other ordinance. A floodplain permit shall be required in accordance with § 216-8.
A. 
Structures, except for manufactured homes, accessory to the uses and activities indicated as permitted uses by right.
B. 
Utilities and public facilities and improvements such as railroads, streets, bridges, transmission lines, pipelines, water and wastewater treatment plants and other similar related uses.
C. 
Extraction of sand, gravel and other materials.
D. 
Temporary uses such as circuses, carnivals and similar activities.
E. 
Storage of materials and equipment, provided that they are not buoyant, flammable, toxic or explosive and are not subject to major damage by flooding or provided that such material and equipment is firmly anchored to prevent flotation or movement and/or can be readily removed from the area within the time available after flood warning.