[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
These regulations, in combination with the flood provisions
of the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) N.J.A.C. 5:23 (hereinafter
"Uniform Construction Code," consisting of the Building Code, Residential
Code, Rehabilitation Subcode, and related codes, and the New Jersey
Flood Hazard Area Control Act (hereinafter "FHACA"), N.J.A.C. 7:13,
shall be known as the Floodplain Management Regulations of Township
of Fairfield (hereinafter "these regulations").
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
No structure or land shall hereafter be constructed, relocated
to, extended, converted, or altered without full compliance with the
terms of this chapter and other applicable regulations. Violation
of the provisions of this chapter by failure to comply with any of
its requirements (including violations of conditions and safeguards
established in connection with conditions) shall constitute a violation
under N.J.S.A. 40:49-5. Any person who violates this chapter or fails
to comply with any of its requirements shall be subject to one or
more of the following: a fine of not more than $1,250, imprisonment
for a term not exceeding 90 days or a period of community service
not exceeding 90 days.
Each day in which a violation of this chapter exists shall be
considered to be a separate and distinct violation subject to the
imposition of a separate penalty for each day of the violation as
the Court may determine except that the owner will be afforded the
opportunity to cure or abate the condition during a thirty-day period
and shall be afforded the opportunity for a hearing before the court
for an independent determination concerning the violation. Subsequent
to the expiration of the thirty-day period, a fine greater than $1,250
may be imposed if the court has not determined otherwise, or if upon
reinspection of the property, it is determined that the abatement
has not been substantially completed.
Any person who is convicted of violating this chapter within
one year of the date of a previous violation of this chapter and who
was fined for the previous violation, shall be sentenced by a court
to an additional fine as a repeat offender. The additional fine imposed
by the court upon a person for a repeated offense shall not be less
than the minimum or exceed the maximum fine fixed for a violation
of this chapter, but shall be calculated separately from the fine
imposed for the violation of this chapter.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
These regulations supersede any ordinance in effect in flood
hazard areas. However, these regulations are not intended to repeal
or abrogate any existing ordinances including land development regulations,
subdivision regulations, zoning ordinances, stormwater management
regulations, or building codes. In the event of a conflict between
these regulations and any other ordinance, code, or regulation, the
more restrictive shall govern.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
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.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
Base Flood Elevations may increase or decrease resulting from
natural changes (e.g. erosion, accretion, channel migration, subsidence,
uplift) or man-made physical changes (e.g. dredging, filling, excavation)
affecting flooding conditions. As soon as practicable, but not later
than six months after the date of a man-made change or when information
about a natural change becomes available, the Floodplain Administrator
shall notify the Federal Insurance Administrator of the changes by
submitting technical or scientific data in accordance with Title 44
Code of Federal Regulations Section 65.3. Such a submission is necessary
so that upon confirmation of those physical changes affecting flooding
conditions, risk premium rates and floodplain management requirements
will be based upon current data.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
In riverine flood hazard areas where design flood elevations
are specified but floodways have not been designated, the Floodplain
Administrator shall not permit any new construction, substantial improvement
or other development, including the placement of fill, unless the
applicant submits an engineering analysis prepared by a licensed professional
engineer that demonstrates that the cumulative effect of the proposed
development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated
flood hazard area encroachment, will not increase the design flood
elevation more than 0.2 feet at any point within the community.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
Prior to issuing a permit for any floodway encroachment, including
fill, new construction, substantial improvements and other development
or land- disturbing-activity, the Floodplain Administrator shall require
submission of a certification prepared by a licensed professional
engineer, along with supporting technical data, that demonstrates
that such development will not cause any increase in the base flood
level.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
In addition to the requirements of the building code and these
regulations, and regardless of any limitation on the period required
for retention of public records, the Floodplain Administrator shall
maintain and permanently keep and make available for public inspection
all records that are necessary for the administration of these regulations
and the flood provisions of the Uniform Construction Code, including
Flood Insurance Studies, Flood Insurance Rate Maps; documents from
FEMA that amend or revise FIRMs; NJDEP delineations, records of issuance
of permits and denial of permits; records of ordinary maintenance
and minor work, determinations of whether proposed work constitutes
substantial improvement or repair of substantial damage; required
certifications and documentation specified by the Uniform Construction
Code and these regulations including as-built Elevation Certificates;
notifications to adjacent communities, FEMA, and the State related
to alterations of watercourses; assurance that the flood carrying
capacity of altered waterways will be maintained; documentation related
to variances, including justification for issuance or denial; and
records of enforcement actions taken pursuant to these regulations
and the flood resistant provisions of the Uniform Construction Code.
The Floodplain Administrator shall also record the required elevation,
determination method, and base flood elevation source used to determine
the Local Design Flood Elevation in the floodplain development permit.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
When additional hydrologic, hydraulic or other engineering data,
studies, and additional analyses are submitted to support an application,
the applicant has the right to seek a Letter of Map Change (LOMC)
from FEMA to change the base flood elevations, change floodway boundaries,
or change boundaries of flood hazard areas shown on FIRMs, and to
submit such data to FEMA for such purposes. The analyses shall be
prepared by a licensed professional engineer in a format required
by FEMA. Submittal requirements and processing fees shall be the responsibility
of the applicant.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
100-YEAR FLOOD ELEVATION
Elevation of flooding having a 1% annual chance of being
equaled or exceeded in a given year which is also referred to as the
Base Flood Elevation.
500-YEAR FLOOD ELEVATION
Elevation of flooding having a 0.2% annual chance of being
equaled or exceeded in a given year.
A ZONES
Areas of Special Flood Hazard in which the elevation of the
surface water resulting from a flood that has a 1% annual chance of
equaling or exceeding the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) in any given
year shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) zones A, AE, AH,
A1-A30, AR, AR/A, AR/AE, AR/A1-A30, AR/AH, and AR/AO. When used in
reference to the development of a structure in this chapter, A Zones
are not inclusive of Coastal A Zones because of the higher building
code requirements for Coastal A Zones.
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE
Accessory structures are also referred to as appurtenant
structures. An accessory structure is a structure which is on the
same parcel of property as a principal structure and the use of which
is incidental to the use of the principal structure. For example,
a residential structure may have a detached garage or storage shed
for garden tools as accessory structures. Other examples of accessory
structures include gazebos, picnic pavilions, boathouses, small pole
barns, storage sheds, and similar buildings.
AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURE
A structure used solely for agricultural purposes in which
the use is exclusively in connection with the production, harvesting,
storage, drying, or raising of agricultural commodities, including
the raising of livestock. Communities must require that new construction
or substantial improvements of agricultural structures be elevated
or floodproofed to or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) as any
other nonresidential building. Under some circumstances it may be
appropriate to wet-floodproof certain types of agricultural structures
when located in wide, expansive floodplains through issuance of a
variance. This should only be done for structures used for temporary
storage of equipment or crops or temporary shelter for livestock and
only in circumstances where it can be demonstrated that agricultural
structures can be designed in such a manner that results in minimal
damage to the structure and its contents and will create no additional
threats to public safety. New construction or substantial improvement
of livestock confinement buildings, poultry houses, dairy operations,
similar livestock operations and any structure that represents more
than a minimal investment must meet the elevation or dry-floodproofing
requirements of 44 CFR 60.3(c)(3).
AH ZONES
Areas subject to inundation by 1%-annual-chance shallow flooding
(usually areas of ponding) where average depths are between one and
three feet. Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) derived from detailed hydraulic
analyses are shown in this zone.
ALTERATION OF A WATERCOURSE
A dam, impoundment, channel relocation, change in channel
alignment, channelization, or change in cross-sectional area of the
channel or the channel capacity, or any other form of modification
which may alter, impede, retard or change the direction and/or velocity
of the riverine flow of water during conditions of the base flood.
AO ZONES
Areas subject to inundation by 1%-annual-chance shallow flooding
(usually sheet flow on sloping terrain) where average depths are between
one and three feet.
AREA OF SHALLOW FLOODING
A designated Zone AO, AH, AR/AO or AR/AH (or VO) on a community's
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) with a 1% or greater annual chance
of flooding to an average depth of one to three feet where a clearly
defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable,
and where velocity flow may be evident. Such flooding is characterized
by ponding or sheet flow.
ASCE 7
The standard for the Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and
Other Structures, referenced by the building code and developed and
published by the American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA.
which includes but is not limited to methodology and equations necessary
for determining structural and flood-related design requirements and
determining the design requirements for structures that may experience
a combination of loads including those from natural hazards. Flood
related equations include those for determining erosion, scour, lateral,
vertical, hydrostatic, hydrodynamic, buoyancy, breaking wave, and
debris impact.
ASCE 24
The standard for Flood Resistant Design and Construction,
referenced by the building code and developed and published by the
American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA. References to ASCE
24 shall mean ASCE 24-14 or the most recent version of ASCE 24 adopted
in the UCC Code [N.J.A.C. 5:23].
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION (BFE)
The water surface elevation resulting from a flood that has
a 1% or greater chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year,
as shown on a published Flood Insurance Study (FIS), or preliminary
flood elevation guidance from FEMA. May also be referred to as the
"100-year flood elevation".
BASEMENT
Any area of the building having its floor subgrade (below
ground level) on all sides.
BEST AVAILABLE FLOOD HAZARD DATA
The most recent available preliminary flood risk guidance
FEMA has provided. The Best Available Flood Hazard Data may be depicted
on but not limited to Advisory Flood Hazard Area Maps, Work Maps,
or Preliminary FIS and FIRM.
BEST AVAILABLE FLOOD HAZARD DATA AREA
The areal mapped extent associated with the most recent available
preliminary flood risk guidance FEMA has provided. The Best Available
Flood Hazard Data may be depicted on but not limited to Advisory Flood
Hazard Area Maps, Work Maps, or Preliminary FIS and FIRM.
BEST AVAILABLE FLOOD HAZARD DATA ELEVATION
The most recent available preliminary flood elevation guidance
FEMA has provided. The Best Available Flood Hazard Data may be depicted
on but not limited to Advisory Flood Hazard Area Maps, Work Maps,
or Preliminary FIS and FIRM.
BREAKAWAY WALLS
Any type of wall subject to flooding that is not required
to provide structural support to a building or other structure and
that is designed and constructed such that, below the Local Design
Flood Elevation, it will collapse under specific lateral loads such
that (1) it allows the free passage of floodwaters, and (2) it does
not damage the structure or supporting foundation system. Certification
in the V Zone Certificate of the design, plans, and specifications
by a licensed design professional that these walls are in accordance
with accepted standards of practice is required as part of the permit
application for new and substantially improved V Zone and Coastal
A Zone structures. A completed certification must be submitted at
permit application.
BUILDING
Per the FHACA, "Building" means a structure enclosed with
exterior walls or fire walls, erected and framed of component structural
parts, designed for the housing, shelter, enclosure, and support of
individuals, animals, or property of any kind. A building may have
a temporary or permanent foundation. A building that is intended for
regular human occupation and/or residence is considered a habitable
building.
CONDITIONAL LETTER OF MAP REVISION
A Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) is FEMA's
comment on a proposed project that would, upon construction, affect
the hydrologic or hydraulic characteristics of a flooding source and
thus result in the modification of the existing regulatory floodway,
the effective Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), or the Special Flood Hazard
Area (SFHA). The letter does not revise an effective NFIP map, it
indicates whether the project, if built as proposed, would be recognized
by FEMA. FEMA charges a fee for processing a CLOMR to recover the
costs associated with the review that is described in the Letter of
Map Change (LOMC) process. Building permits cannot be issued based
on a CLOMR, because a CLOMR does not change the NFIP map.
CONDITIONAL LETTER OF MAP REVISION - FILL
A Conditional Letter of Map Revision - Fill (CLOMR-F) is
FEMA's comment on a proposed project involving the placement
of fill outside of the regulatory floodway that would, upon construction,
affect the hydrologic or hydraulic characteristics of a flooding source
and thus result in the modification of the existing regulatory floodway,
the effective Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), or the Special Flood Hazard
Area (SFHA). The letter does not revise an effective NFIP map, it
indicates whether the project, if built as proposed, would be recognized
by FEMA. FEMA charges a fee for processing a CLOMR to recover the
costs associated with the review that is described in the Letter of
Map Change (LOMC) process. Building permits cannot be issued based
on a CLOMR, because a CLOMR does not change the NFIP map.
CRITICAL BUILDING
Per the FHACA, "Critical Building" means that:
a.
It is essential to maintaining continuity of vital government
operations and/or supporting emergency response, sheltering, and medical
care functions before, during, and after a flood, such as a hospital,
medical clinic, police station, fire station, emergency response center,
or public shelter; or
b.
It serves large numbers of people who may be unable to leave
the facility through their own efforts, thereby hindering or preventing
safe evacuation of the building during a flood event, such as a school,
college, dormitory, jail or detention facility, day care center, assisted
living facility, or nursing home.
DEVELOPMENT
Any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate,
including but not limited to, buildings or other structures, tanks,
temporary structures, temporary or permanent storage of materials,
mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavations, drilling
operations and other land-disturbing activities.
DRY FLOODPROOFING
A combination of measures that results in a non-residential
structure, including the attendant utilities and equipment as described
in the latest version of ASCE 24, being watertight with all elements
substantially impermeable and with structural components having the
capacity to resist flood loads.
ELEVATED BUILDING
A building that has no basement and that has its lowest elevated
floor raised above ground level by foundation walls, shear walls,
posts, piers, pilings, or columns. Solid perimeter foundations walls
are not an acceptable means of elevating buildings in V and VE Zones.
ELEVATION CERTIFICATE
An administrative tool of the National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) that can be used to provide elevation information, to determine
the proper insurance premium rate, and to support an application for
a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision based on
fill (LOMR-F).
ENCROACHMENT
The placement of fill, excavation, buildings, permanent structures
or other development into a flood hazard area which may impede or
alter the flow capacity of riverine flood hazard areas.
FEMA PUBLICATIONS
Any publication authored or referenced by FEMA related to
building science, building safety, or floodplain management related
to the National Flood Insurance Program. Publications shall include
but are not limited to technical bulletins, desk references, and American
Society of Civil Engineers Standards documents including ASCE 24.
FLOOD HAZARD AREA DESIGN FLOOD ELEVATION
Per the FHACA, the peak water surface elevation that will
occur in a water during the flood hazard area design flood. This elevation
is determined via available flood mapping adopted by the State, flood
mapping published by FEMA (including effective flood mapping dated
on or after January 31, 1980, or any more recent advisory, preliminary,
or pending flood mapping; whichever results in higher flood elevations,
wider floodway limits, greater flow rates, or indicates a change from
an A zone to a V zone or coastal A zone), approximation, or calculation
pursuant to the Flood Hazard Area Control Act Rules at N.J.A.C. 7:13-3.13.6
and is typically higher than FEMA's base flood elevation. A water
that has a drainage area measuring less than 50 acres does not possess,
and is not assigned, a flood hazard area design flood elevation.
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM)
The official map on which the Federal Emergency Management
Agency has delineated both the areas of special flood hazards and
the risk premium zones applicable to the community.
FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY (FIS)
The official report in which the Federal Emergency Management
Agency has provided flood profiles, as well as the Flood Insurance
Rate Map(s) and the water surface elevation of the base flood.
FLOOD OR FLOODING
a.
A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation
of normally dry land areas from:
1.
The overflow of inland or tidal waters.
2.
The unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters
from any source.
3.
Mudslides (i.e. mudflows) which are proximately caused by flooding
as defined in paragraph a2 of this definition and are akin to a river
or liquid and flowing mud on the surfaces of normally dry land areas,
as when earth is carried by a current of water and deposited along
the path of the current.
b.
The collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake
or other body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused
by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels
or suddenly caused by an unusually high water level in a natural body
of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force
of nature, such as flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some
similarly unusual and unforeseeable event which results in flooding
as defined in paragraph a1 of this definition.
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
Zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, building codes,
health regulations, special purpose ordinances (such as a floodplain
ordinance, grading ordinance, and erosion control ordinance) and other
applications of police power. The term describes such State or local
regulations, in any combination thereof, which provide standards for
the purpose of flood damage prevention and reduction.
FLOODPROOFING
Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions,
changes, or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood
damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary
facilities, structures, and their contents.
FLOODPROOFING CERTIFICATE
Certification by a licensed design professional that the
design and methods of construction for floodproofing a non-residential
structure are in accordance with accepted standards of practice to
a proposed height above the structure's lowest adjacent grade
that meets or exceeds the Local Design Flood Elevation. A completed
floodproofing certificate is required at permit application.
FLOODWAY
The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent
land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood
without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than
0.2 foot.
FREEBOARD
A factor of safety usually expressed in feet above a flood
level for purposes of floodplain management. "Freeboard" tends to
compensate for the many unknown factors that could contribute to flood
heights greater than the height calculated for a selected size flood
and floodway conditions, such as wave action, bridge openings, and
the hydrological effect of urbanization of the watershed.
FUNCTIONALLY DEPENDENT USE
A use that cannot perform its intended purpose unless it
is located or carried out in close proximity to water, including only
docking facilities, port facilities necessary for the loading or unloading
of cargo or passengers, and shipbuilding and ship repair facilities.
The term does not include long-term storage or related manufacturing
facilities.
HABITABLE BUILDING
Pursuant to the FHACA Rules (N.J.A.C. 7:13), means a building
that is intended for regular human occupation and/or residence. Examples
of a habitable building include a single-family home, duplex, multi-residence
building, or critical building; a commercial building such as a retail
store, restaurant, office building, or gymnasium; an accessory structure
that is regularly occupied, such as a garage, barn, or workshop; mobile
and manufactured homes, and trailers intended for human residence,
which are set on a foundation and/or connected to utilities, such
as in a mobile home park (not including campers and recreational vehicles);
and any other building that is regularly occupied, such as a house
of worship, community center, or meeting hall, or animal shelter that
includes regular human access and occupation. Examples of a non-habitable
building include a bus stop shelter, utility building, storage shed,
self-storage unit, construction trailer, or an individual shelter
for animals such as a doghouse or outdoor kennel.
HARDSHIP
As related to Section
23-107 of this chapter, meaning the exceptional hardship that would result from a failure to grant the requested variance. The Township Council requires that the variance be exceptional, unusual, and peculiar to the property involved. Mere economic or financial hardship alone is not exceptional. Inconvenience, aesthetic considerations, physical handicaps, personal preferences, or the disapproval of one's neighbors likewise cannot, as a rule, qualify as an exceptional hardship. All of these problems can be resolved through other means without granting a variance, even if the alternative is more expensive, or requires the property owner to build elsewhere or put the parcel to a different use than originally intended.
HIGHEST ADJACENT GRADE
The highest natural elevation of the ground surface prior
to construction next to the proposed or existing walls of a structure.
HISTORIC STRUCTURE
Any structure that is:
a.
Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places
(a listing maintained by the Department of Interior) or preliminarily
determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the requirements
for individual listing on the National Register;
b.
Certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the
Interior as contributing to the historical significance of a registered
historic district or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary
to qualify as a registered historic district;
c.
Individually listed on a State inventory of historic places
in States with historic preservation programs which have been approved
by the Secretary of the Interior; or
d.
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places
in communities with historic preservation programs that have been
certified either:
1.
By an approved State program as determined by the Secretary
of the Interior; or
2.
Directly by the Secretary of the Interior in States without
approved programs.
LAWFULLY EXISTING
Per the FHACA, means an existing fill, structure and/or use,
which meets all Federal, State, and local laws, and which is not in
violation of the FHACA because it was established:
a.
Prior to January 31, 1980; or
b.
On or after January 31, 1980, in accordance with the requirements
of the FHACA as it existed at the time the fill, structure and/or
use was established.
Note: Substantially damaged properties and substantially improved
properties that have not been elevated are not considered "lawfully
existing" for the purposes of the NFIP. This definition is included
in this chapter to clarify the applicability of any more stringent
statewide floodplain management standards required under the FHACA.
|
LETTER OF MAP AMENDMENT
A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is an official amendment,
by letter, to an effective National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
map that is requested through the Letter of Map Change (LOMC) process.
A LOMA establishes a property's location in relation to the Special
Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). LOMAs are usually issued because a property
has been inadvertently mapped as being in the floodplain but is actually
on natural high ground above the base flood elevation. Because a LOMA
officially amends the effective NFIP map, it is a public record that
the community must maintain. Any LOMA should be noted on the community's
master flood map and filed by panel number in an accessible location.
LETTER OF MAP CHANGE
The Letter of Map Change (LOMC) process is a service provided
by FEMA for a fee that allows the public to request a change in flood
zone designation in an Area of Special Flood Hazard on an Flood Insurance
Rate Map (FIRM). Conditional Letters of Map Revision, Conditional
Letters of Map Revision - Fill, Letters of Map Revision, Letters of
Map Revision-Fill, and Letters of Map Amendment are requested through
the Letter of Map Change (LOMC) process.
LETTER OF MAP REVISION
A Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) is FEMA's modification
to an effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Letter of Map Revisions
are generally based on the implementation of physical measures that
affect the hydrologic or hydraulic characteristics of a flooding source
and thus result in the modification of the existing regulatory floodway,
the effective Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), or the Special Flood Hazard
Area (SFHA). The LOMR officially revises the Flood Insurance Rate
Map (FIRM) and sometimes the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report, and
when appropriate, includes a description of the modifications. The
LOMR is generally accompanied by an annotated copy of the affected
portions of the FIRM or FIS report. Because a LOMR officially revises
the effective NFIP map, it is a public record that the community must
maintain. Any LOMR should be noted on the community's master
flood map and filed by panel number in an accessible location.
LETTER OF MAP REVISION - FILL
A Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F) is FEMA's
modification of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) shown on the
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) based on the placement of fill outside
the existing regulatory floodway may be initiated through the Letter
of Map Change (LOMC) Process. Because a LOMR-F officially revises
the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) map, it is public record
that the community must maintain. Any LOMR-F should be noted on the
community's master flood map and filed by panel number in an
accessible location.
LICENSED DESIGN PROFESSIONAL
Licensed design professional shall refer to either a New
Jersey Licensed Professional Engineer, licensed by the New Jersey
State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors or a New
Jersey Licensed Architect, licensed by the New Jersey State Board
of Architects.
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER
A licensed professional engineer shall refer to individuals
licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and
Land Surveyors.
LOCAL DESIGN FLOOD ELEVATION (LDFE)
The elevation reflective of the most recent available preliminary
flood elevation guidance FEMA has provided as depicted on but not
limited to Advisory Flood Hazard Area Maps, Work Maps, or Preliminary
FIS and FIRM which is also inclusive of freeboard specified by the
New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act and Uniform Construction
Codes and any additional freeboard specified in a community's
ordinance. In no circumstances shall a project's LDFE be lower
than a permit-specified Flood Hazard Area Design Flood Elevation or
a valid NJDEP Flood Hazard Area Verification Letter plus the freeboard
as required in ASCE 24 and the effective FEMA Base Flood Elevation.
LOWEST ADJACENT GRADE
The lowest point of ground, patio, or sidewalk slab immediately
next a structure, except in AO Zones where it is the natural grade
elevation.
LOWEST FLOOR
In A Zones, the lowest floor is the top surface of the lowest
floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement). In V Zones
and coastal A Zones, the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural
member of a building is the lowest floor. An unfinished or flood resistant
enclosure, usable solely for the parking of vehicles, building access
or storage in an area other than a basement is not considered a building's
lowest floor provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render
the structure in violation of other applicable non-elevation design
requirements of these regulations.
MANUFACTURED HOME
A structure that is transportable in one or more sections,
eight feet or more in width and greater than 400 square feet, built
on a permanent chassis, designed for use with or without a permanent
foundation when attached to the required utilities, and constructed
to the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards
and rules and regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development. The term also includes mobile homes, park trailers,
travel trailers and similar transportable structures that are placed
on a site for 180 consecutive days or longer.
MARKET VALUE
The price at which a property will change hands between a
willing buyer and a willing seller, neither party being under compulsion
to buy or sell and both having reasonable knowledge of relevant facts.
As used in these regulations, the term refers to the market value
of buildings and structures, excluding the land and other improvements
on the parcel. Market value shall be determined by one of the following
methods (1) Actual Cash Value (replacement cost depreciated for age
and quality of construction), (2) tax assessment value adjusted to
approximate market value by a factor provided by the Property Appraiser,
or (3) established by a qualified independent appraiser.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Structures for which the start of construction commenced
on or after the effective date of the first floodplain regulation
adopted by a community; includes any subsequent improvements to such
structures. New construction includes work determined to be a substantial
improvement.
NON-RESIDENTIAL
Pursuant to ASCE 24, any building or structure or portion
thereof that is not classified as residential.
ORDINARY MAINTENANCE AND MINOR WORK
This term refers to types of work excluded from construction
permitting under N.J.A.C. 5:23 in the March 5, 2018 New Jersey Register.
Some of these types of work must be considered in determinations of
substantial improvement and substantial damage in regulated floodplains
under 44 CFR 59.1. These types of work include but are not limited
to replacements of roofing, siding, interior finishes, kitchen cabinets,
plumbing fixtures and piping, HVAC and air conditioning equipment,
exhaust fans, built in appliances, electrical wiring, etc. Improvements
necessary to correct existing violations of State or local health,
sanitation, or code enforcement officials which are the minimum necessary
to assure safe living conditions and improvements of historic structures
as discussed in 44 CFR 59.1 shall not be included in the determination
of ordinary maintenance and minor work.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
A vehicle that is built on a single chassis, 400 square feet
or less when measured at the largest horizontal projection, designed
to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light-duty truck,
and designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as
temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal
use. A recreational vehicle is ready for highway use if it is on its
wheels or jacking system, is attached to the site only by quick disconnect
type utilities and security devices and has no permanently attached
additions.
RESIDENTIAL
Pursuant to the ASCE 24:
a.
Buildings and structures and portions thereof where people live
or that are used for sleeping purposes on a transient or non-transient
basis;
b.
Structures including but not limited to one- and two-family
dwellings, townhouses, condominiums, multi-family dwellings, apartments,
congregate residences, boarding houses, lodging houses, rooming houses,
hotels, motels, apartment buildings, convents, monasteries, dormitories,
fraternity houses, sorority houses, vacation time-share properties;
and
c.
Institutional facilities where people are cared for or live
on a twenty-four-hour basis in a supervised environment, including
but not limited to board and care facilities, assisted living facilities,
halfway houses, group homes, congregate care facilities, social rehabilitation
facilities, alcohol and drug centers, convalescent facilities, hospitals,
nursing homes, mental hospitals, detoxification facilities, prisons,
jails, reformatories, detention centers, correctional centers, and
prerelease centers.
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
"Solid Waste Disposal" shall mean the storage, treatment,
utilization, processing or final disposition of solid waste as described
in N.J.A.C. 7:26-1.6 or the storage of unsecured materials as described
in N.J.A.C. 7:13-2.3 for a period of greater than six months as specified
in N.J.A.C. 7:26 which have been discharged, deposited, injected,
dumped, spilled, leaked, or placed into any land or water such that
such solid waste may enter the environment or be emitted into the
air or discharged into any waters, including groundwaters.
SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA
The greater of the following: (1) Land in the floodplain
within a community subject to a 1% or greater chance of flooding in
any given year, shown on the FIRM as Zone V, VE, V1-3-, A, AO, A1-30,
AE, A99, or AH; (2) Land and the space above that land, which lies
below the peak water surface elevation of the flood hazard area design
flood for a particular water, as determined using the methods set
forth in the New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act in N.J.A.C.
7:13; (3) Riparian Buffers as determined in the New Jersey Flood Hazard
Area Control Act in N.J.A.C. 7:13. Also referred to as the AREA OF
SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD.
START OF CONSTRUCTION
The Start of Construction is as follows:
a.
For other than new construction or substantial improvements,
under the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA), this is the date the
building permit was issued, provided that the actual start of construction,
repair, rehabilitation, addition, placement or other improvement was
within 180 days of the permit date. The actual start means either
the first placement of permanent construction of a building on site,
such as the pouring of a slab or footing, the installation of piles,
the construction of columns or any work beyond the stage of excavation;
or the placement of a manufactured (mobile) home on a foundation.
For a substantial improvement, actual start of construction means
the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural
part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external
dimensions of the building.
b.
For the purposes of determining whether proposed construction
must meet new requirements when National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
maps are issued or revised and Base Flood Elevation's (BFEs)
increase or zones change, the Start of Construction includes substantial
improvement, and means the date the building permit was issued, provided
the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
addition placement, or other improvement was within 180 days of the
permit date. The actual start means either the first placement of
permanent construction of a structure on a site, such as the pouring
of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the construction of
columns, or any work beyond the stage of excavation; or the placement
of a manufactured home on a foundation.
Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such
as clearing, grading, and filling, nor does it include the installation
of streets and/or walkways; nor does it include excavation for a basement,
footings, piers, or foundations or the erection of temporary forms;
nor does it include the installation on the property of accessory
buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units
or not part of the main structure. Such development must also be permitted
and must meet new requirements when National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) maps are issued or revised and Base Flood Elevation's
(BFEs) increase or zones change.
|
For a substantial improvement, the actual start of construction
means the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural
part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external
dimensions of the building.
|
For determining if new construction and substantial improvements
within the Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) can obtain flood
insurance, a different definition applies.
|
STRUCTURE
A walled and roofed building, a manufactured home, or a gas
or liquid storage tank that is principally above ground.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE
Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the
cost of restoring the structure to its before damaged condition would
equal or exceed 50% of the market value of the structure before the
damage occurred.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT
Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement
of a structure taking place, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50%
of the market value of the structure before the "start of construction"
of the improvement. This term includes structures which have incurred
"substantial damage", regardless of the actual repair work performed.
The term does not, however, include either:
a.
Any project for improvement of a structure to correct existing
violations of State or local health, sanitary or safety code specifications
which have been identified by the local code enforcement officer and
which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions;
or
b.
Any alteration of a "historic structure", provided that the
alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation
as a "historic structure."
THIRTY-DAY PERIOD
The period of time prescribed by N.J.S.A. 40:49-5 in which
a property owner is afforded the opportunity to correct zoning and
solid waste disposal after a notice of violation pertaining to this
chapter has been issued.
VARIANCE
A grant of relief from the requirements of this section which
permits construction in a manner otherwise prohibited by this section
where specific enforcement would result in unnecessary hardship.
VIOLATION
A development that is not fully compliant with these regulations
or the flood provisions of the building code. A structure or other
development without the elevation certificate, other certifications,
or other evidence of compliance required in this chapter is presumed
to be in violation until such time as that documentation is provided.
WATER SURFACE ELEVATION
The height, in relation to the North American Vertical Datum
(NAVD) of 1988, (or other datum, where specified) of floods of various
magnitudes and frequencies in the flood plains of coastal or riverine
areas.
WATERCOURSE
A river, creek, stream, channel, or other topographic feature
in, on, through, or over which water flows at least periodically.
WET FLOODPROOFING
Floodproofing method that relies on the use of flood damage
resistant materials and construction techniques in areas of a structure
that are below the Local Design Flood Elevation by intentionally allowing
them to flood. The application of wet floodproofing as a flood protection
technique under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is limited
to enclosures below elevated residential and non-residential structures
and to accessory and agricultural structures that have been issued
variances by the community.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
Subject to the limitations of these regulations, fill shall
be designed to be stable under conditions of flooding including rapid
rise and rapid drawdown of floodwater, prolonged inundation, and protection
against flood-related erosion and scour. In addition to these requirements,
when intended to support buildings and structures (Zone A only), fill
shall comply with the requirements of the UCC (N.J.A.C. 5:23). Proposed
fill and encroachments in flood hazard areas shall comply with the
flood storage displacement limitations of N.J.A.C. 7:13.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
All new, relocated, and replacement manufactured homes, including
substantial improvement of existing manufactured homes, shall be placed
on foundations as specified by the manufacturer only if the manufacturer's
installation instructions specify that the home has been designed
for flood-resistant considerations and provides the conditions of
applicability for velocities, depths, or wave action as required by
24 CFR Part 3285-302. The Floodplain Administrator is authorized to
determine whether the design meets or exceeds the performance necessary
based upon the proposed site location conditions as a precondition
of issuing a flood damage prevention permit. If the Floodplain Administrator
determines that the home's performance standards will not withstand
the flood loads in the proposed location, the applicant must propose
a design certified by a New Jersey licensed design professional and
in accordance with 24 CFR 3285.301 (c) and (d) which conforms with
ASCE 24, the accepted standard of engineering practice for flood resistant
design and construction.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
In accordance with Section 312 of the International Building
Code, Utility and Miscellaneous Group U includes buildings and structures
that are accessory in character and miscellaneous structures not classified
in any specific occupancy in the Building Code, including, but not
limited to, agricultural buildings, aircraft hangars (accessory to
a one- or two-family residence), barns, carports, communication equipment
structures (gross floor area less than 1,500 square feet), fences
more than six feet (1,829 mm) high, grain silos (accessory to a residential
occupancy), livestock shelters, private garages, retaining walls,
sheds, stables, tanks and towers.
[Added 11-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
Mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems, equipment and components, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing fixtures, duct systems, and other service equipment, shall be elevated to or above the Local Design Flood Elevation determined in Section
23-102.3.
Exception: Electrical systems, equipment and components, and
heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and plumbing appliances, plumbing
fixtures, duct systems, and other service equipment shall be permitted
to be located below the Local Design Flood Elevation provided that
they are designed and installed to prevent water from entering or
accumulating within the components and to resist hydrostatic and hydrodynamic
loads and stresses, including the effects of buoyancy, during the
occurrence of flooding to the Local Design Flood Elevation in compliance
with the flood-resistant construction requirements of ASCE 24. Electrical
wiring systems shall be permitted to be located below the Local Design
Flood Elevation provided they conform to the provisions of NFPA 70
(National Electric Code).