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 building and development activities.
A. 
The Township of West Amwell was accepted for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program on April 1, 1981.
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 Township Clerk, 150 Rocktown-Lambertville Road, Lambertville, NJ 08530.
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, Hunterdon County, New Jersey (All Jurisdictions)," dated May 2, 2012, and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) identified in Table 90-11C(1) whose effective dates are September 25, 2009, and May 2, 2012, are hereby adopted by reference.
Table 90-11C(1)
Map Panel #
Effective Date
Suffix
34019C0339
May 2, 2012
G
34019C0343
September 25, 2009
F
34019C0344
September 25, 2009
F
34019C0345
September 25, 2009
F
34019C0361
September 25, 2009
F
34019C0363
September 25, 2009
F
34019C0364
September 25, 2009
F
34019C0402
May 2, 2012
G
34019C0404
May 2, 2012
G
34019C0406
September 25, 2009
F
34019C0408
May 2, 2012
G
34019C0410
September 25, 2009
F
34019C0426
September 25, 2009
F
(2) 
Federal best available information. The Township of West Amwell 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 90-11C(2)
Map Panel #
Preliminary Date
None as of the date of this chapter
(3) 
Other best available data. The Township of West Amwell 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 West Amwell. 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 § 90-53, 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 90-11C(4)
Name of Studied Water
File Name
Map Number
Alexauken Ck
L0000059
3.2
Alexauken Ck
L0000060
3.2
Delaware Rv, Alexauken Ck
L0000061
3
Delaware Rv, Swan Ck, Trib #1
L0000062
2
Delaware Rv, Raritan Canal
L0000063
1
Delaware Rv
SUPPVIII14
4
Delaware Rv
SUPPVIII15
5
Delaware Rv
SUPPVIII16
6
Back Bk
U0000067
BA-5
Stony Bk
U0000114
ST-1
Stony Bk
U0000115
ST-2
Alexauken Ck
L0000152p
07P
Alexauken Ck
L0000153p
06P
Alexauken Ck
L0000154p
05P
Alexauken Ck
L0000159p
05P
Tributary No. 1 to Swam Ck
L0000160p
04P
Swan Ck
L0000161p
03P
Alexauken Ck
L0000164p
06P
Alexauken Ck
L0000165p
05P
Alexauken Ck
L0000166p
04P
Alexauken Ck
L0000167p
03P
Alexauken Ck
L0000168p
02P
Delaware Rv
L0000169p
01P
A. 
The local design flood elevation (LDFE) is established in the flood hazard areas determined in § 90-11, 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 § 90-11, 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 § 90-11C(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 §§ 90-35 and 90-36.
(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.