A. 
The identified floodplain area shall be:
(1) 
Any areas of the Borough of Girard classified as special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) in the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), dated February 19, 2014, 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 Borough of Girard and declared to be a part of this chapter.
A. 
The identified floodplain area shall consist of the following specific areas/districts:
(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. In helping to make this necessary elevation determination, other sources of data, where available, shall be used, such as:
(a) 
Corps of Engineers - Floodplain Information Reports.
(b) 
U.S. Geological Survey - Flood Prone Quadrangles.
(c) 
U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service - County Soil Surveys (Alluvial Soils).
(d) 
Known high-water marks from past floods.
(e) 
Other sources.
B. 
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 § 205-23B for situations where FEMA notification is required.
Should a dispute concerning any identified floodplain boundary arise, an initial determination shall be made by the Borough of Girard Planning Commission, 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 40 CFR 60.3.