[Added 9-11-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-27]
These regulations, in conjunction with the UCC, provide minimum requirements for any development located in flood hazard areas, including 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 9-11-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-27]
Princeton was accepted for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program on December 4, 1984.
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 (FIRM), most recent preliminary FEMA mapping and flood studies, and NJDEP 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 Engineering Department, Municipality of Princeton, 400 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ 08540.
The following sources identify flood hazard areas in this jurisdiction and must be considered when determining the Best Available Flood Hazard Data Area:
(a) 
Effective Flood Insurance Study. Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) identified by FEMA in a scientific and engineering report entitled "Flood Insurance Study, Mercer County, New Jersey (All Jurisdictions)" dated July 20, 2016 and the accompanying FIRMs identified in Table 14A-2.2(a) whose effective date is July 20, 2016 are hereby adopted by reference.
Table 14A-2.2(a)
Map Panel #
Effective Date
Suffix
Map Panel #
Effective Date
Suffix
34021C0038F
July 20, 2016
34021C0131F
July 20, 2016
34021C0039F
July 20, 2016
34021C0132F
July 20, 2016
34021C0043F
July 20, 2016
34021C0133F
July 20, 2016
34021C0044F
July 20, 2016
34021C0134F
July 20, 2016
34021C0063F
July 20, 2016
34021C0137F
July 20, 2016
34021C0126F
July 20, 2016
34021C0141F
July 20, 2016
34021C0127F
July 20, 2016
34021C0151F
July 20, 2016
34021C0129F
July 20, 2016
(b) 
The most restrictive 0.2% annual chance (500 year) effective or preliminary FEMA flood study is adopted by these regulations for consideration when establishing the Best Available Flood Hazard Data Area.
[Added 9-11-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-27]
The Local Design Flood Elevation (LDFE) is established in the flood hazard areas determined in Section B14A-2.2, above, using the Best Available Flood Hazard Data Area sources, and the Flood Hazard Area Control Act minimum Statewide elevation requirements for lowest floors in A zones, ASCE 24 requirements for critical facilities as specified by the building code, plus additional freeboard as specified by these regulations.
At a minimum, the LDFE shall be as follows:
(a) 
For a delineated watercourse, the elevation associated with the Best Available Flood Hazard Data Area determined in Section B14A-2.2 above, plus two feet (or such height greater than two feet, if prescribed by N.J.A.C. 7:13) of freeboard; or
(b) 
For any undelineated watercourse (where mapping or studies described in Section 14A-2.2(a) and (b) 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:
(1) 
A copy of an unexpired NJDEP Flood Hazard Area Verification plus two feet of freeboard and any additional freeboard as required by ASCE 24; or
(2) 
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 two feet of freeboard and any additional freeboard as required by ASCE 24. Any determination using these methods must be sealed and submitted according to Section B14A-5.2 to B14A-5.3.
(c) 
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 two feet of freeboard. If no depth number is specified, the Local Design Flood Elevation is three feet above the highest adjacent grade.
(d) 
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.