These regulations, in conjunction with the Uniform Construction Code, provide minimum requirements for development located in flood hazard areas, including the subdivision of land and other developments; site improvements and installation of utilities; placement and replacement of manufactured homes; placement of recreational vehicles; new construction and alterations, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation or additions of existing buildings and structures; substantial improvement of existing buildings and structures, including repair of substantial damage; installation of tanks; temporary structures and temporary or permanent storage; utility and miscellaneous Group U buildings and structures; and certain building work exempt from permit under the Uniform Construction Code; and other buildings and development activities.
A. 
The Township of Monroe was accepted for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program on April 17, 1985.
B. 
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) floodplain management regulations encourage that all federal, state, and local regulations that are more stringent than the minimum NFIP standards take precedence in permitting decisions. The FHACA requires that the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map, most recent preliminary FEMA mapping and flood studies, and Department delineations be compared to determine the most restrictive mapping. The FHACA also regulates unstudied flood hazard areas in watersheds measuring 50 acres or greater in size and most riparian zones in New Jersey. Because of these higher standards, the regulated flood hazard area in New Jersey may be more expansive and more restrictive than the FEMA special flood hazard area. Maps and studies that establish flood hazard areas are on file at the office of the Floodplain Administrator, 1 Municipal Plaza, Monroe Township, NJ 08831.
C. 
The following sources identify flood hazard areas in this jurisdiction and must be considered when determining the best available flood hazard data area:
(1) 
Effective Flood Insurance Study. Special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a scientific and engineering report entitled "Flood Insurance Study, Middlesex County, New Jersey (All Jurisdictions)," dated July 6, 2010, and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) identified in Table 44-11C(1), whose effective date is July 6, 2010, are hereby adopted by reference.
Table 44-11C(1)
Map Panel #
Effective Date
Suffix
Map Panel #
Effective Date
Suffix
34023C0139
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0252
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0143
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0253
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0144
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0254
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0251
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0256
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0257
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0278
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0258
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0259
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0261
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0262
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0263
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0264
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0266
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0267
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0268
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0269
July 6, 2010
F
34023C0276
July 6, 2010
F
(2) 
Federal best available information. The Township of Monroe shall utilize federal flood information as listed in the table below that provides more detailed hazard information, higher flood elevations, larger flood hazard areas, and results in more restrictive regulations. This information may include but is not limited to preliminary flood elevation guidance from FEMA (such as Advisory Flood Hazard Area Maps, work maps or preliminary FIS and FIRM). Additional federal best available studies issued after the date of this chapter must also be considered. These studies are listed on FEMA's Map Service Center. This information shall be used for floodplain regulation purposes only.
Table 44-11C(2)
Map Panel #
Preliminary Date
Map Panel #
Preliminary Date
34023C0144G
January 31, 2014
(3) 
Other best available data. The Township of Monroe shall utilize high water elevations from flood events, groundwater flooding areas, studies by federal or state agencies, or other information deemed appropriate by the Township of Monroe. Other best available information may not be used which results in less restrictive flood elevations, design standards, or smaller flood hazard areas than the sources described in Subsection C(1) and (2) above. This information shall be used for floodplain regulation purposes only.
(4) 
State-regulated flood hazard areas. For state-regulated waters, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) identifies the flood hazard area as the land, and the space above that land, which lies below the "flood hazard area design flood elevation," as defined in § 44-53, and as described in the New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act at N.J.A.C. 7:13. An FHACA flood hazard area exists along every regulated water that has a drainage area of 50 acres or greater. Such area may extend beyond the boundaries of the special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) as identified by FEMA. The following is a list of New Jersey State studied waters in this community under the FHACA, and their respective map identification numbers.
Table 44-11C(4) List of State Studied Waters
Name of Studied Water
File Name
Map Number
Matchaponix Bk
D0000024
MX-1
Manalapan Bk
D0000025
MN-2
Manalapan Bk
D0000026
MN-1
Cedar Bk
D0000047
C-1
Barclay Bk
FHR171801
BC-1
Pine Bk
FHR171818
P-1
Cedar Bk
H0000048
11
Cranbury Bk
H0000050
9
Millstone Rv
H0000055
4
Manalapan Bk, Wigwam Bk, Barclays Bk
H0000088
1 of 1
Manalapan Bk, Saw Mill Bk, Trib to Saw Mill Bk
H0000089
2 of 2
Manalapan Bk
H0000090
1 of 2
Shallow Bk
H0000091
24
Cedar Bk
H0000092
23
Cranbury Bk
H0000093
22
Cranbury Bk, Cranbury Bk Trib
H0000094
21
Clear Bk
H0000095
20
Cranbury Bk, Clear Bk
H0000096
19
Cranbury Bk Trib
H0000097
18
Wigwam Bk
H0000098
17
Barclay Bk
H0000099
16
Matchaponix Bk
H0000100
15
Matchaponix Bk
H0000101
14
Matchaponix Bk
H0000102
13
Matchaponix Bk
H0000103
12
Manalapan Bk
H0000104
11
Manalapan Bk
H0000105
10
Manalapan Bk
H0000106
9
Manalapan Bk, Manalapan Lake
H0000107
8
Manalapan Bk
H0000108
6
Manalapan Bk
H0000109
5
Millstone Rv
H0000110
4
Bentley's Bk
H0000111
3
Millstone Rv, Bentley's Bk
H0000112
2
Millstone Rv
H0000113
1
Millstone Rv
H0000247
5
Rocky Bk, Etra Lake
H0000250
8
Rocky Bk
H0000251
9
Shallow Bk
H2000047
53
Millstone Rv
U0000075
MI-1
Millstone Rv
H0000166p
01P
Millstone Rv
H0000167p
02P
Bentley Bk
H0000168p
03P
Manalapan Bk
H0000169p
04P
Manalapan Bk
H0000170p
05P
Manalapan Bk
H0000171p
06P
Manalapan Bk
H0000172p
07P
Manalapan Bk
H0000173p
08P
Matchaponix Bk
H0000174p
09P
Matchaponix Bk
H0000175p
10P
Matchaponix Bk
H0000176p
11P
Matchaponix Bk
H0000177p
12P
Barclays Bk
H0000178p
13P
Barclays Bk
H0000179p
14P
Wigwam Bk
H0000181p
16P
Clear Bk
H0000183p
18P
Clear Bk
H0000184p
19P
Cranbury Bk
H0000185p
20P
Cranbury Bk
H0000186p
21P
Cranbury Bk
H0000187p
22P
Cedar Bk
H0000188p
23P
Tributary to Manalapan Bk
H0000189p
24P
Shallow Bk
H0000190p
25P
Millstone Rv
H0000194p
03P
Cedar Bk
H0000199p
08P
Manalapan Bk
H0000202p
01P
Manalapan Bk
H0000211p
01P
Wigwam Bk
H0000212p
02P
Wigwam Bk
H0000213p
03P
Barclay's Bk
H0000215p
05P
Millstone Rv
H0000274p
04P
Shallow Bk
H2000044p
44P
A. 
The local design flood elevation (LDFE) is established in the flood hazard areas determined in § 44-11, above, using the best available flood hazard data sources, and the Flood Hazard Area Control Act minimum statewide elevation requirements for lowest floors in A, Coastal A, and V Zones, ASCE 24 requirements for critical facilities as specified by the Building Code, plus additional freeboard as specified by this chapter.
B. 
At a minimum, the local design flood elevation shall be as follows:
(1) 
For a delineated watercourse, the elevation associated with the best available flood hazard data area determined in § 44-11, above, plus one foot, or as described by N.J.A.C. 7:13, of freeboard; or
(2) 
For any undelineated watercourse [where mapping or studies described in § 44-11C(1) and (2) above are not available] that has a contributory drainage area of 50 acres or more, the applicants must provide one of the following to determine the local design flood elevation:
(a) 
A copy of an unexpired NJDEP flood hazard area verification plus one foot of freeboard and any additional freeboard as required by ASCE 24; or
(b) 
A determination of the flood hazard area design flood elevation using Method 5 or Method 6 (as described in N.J.A.C. 7:13) plus one foot of freeboard and any additional freeboard as required by ASCE 24. Any determination using these methods must be sealed and submitted according to § 44-35A(3).
(3) 
AO Zones. For Zone AO areas on the municipality's FIRM (or on preliminary flood elevation guidance from FEMA), the local design flood elevation is determined from the FIRM panel as the highest adjacent grade plus the depth number specified plus one foot of freeboard. If no depth number is specified, the local design flood elevation is three feet above the highest adjacent grade.
(4) 
Class IV critical facilities. For any proposed development of new and substantially improved flood design Class IV critical facilities, the local design flood elevation must be the higher of the 0.2% annual chance (500-year) flood elevation or the flood hazard area design flood elevation with an additional two feet of freeboard in accordance with ASCE 24.
(5) 
Class III critical facilities. For proposed development of new and substantially improved flood design Class III critical facilities in coastal high hazard areas, the local design flood elevation must be the higher of the 0.2% annual chance (500-year) flood elevation or the flood hazard area design flood elevation with an additional one foot of freeboard in accordance with ASCE 24.