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 Little Falls was accepted for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program on August 17, 1981.
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 Township of Little Falls Division of Construction 225 Main St. Little Falls, NJ 07424.
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, Passaic County, NJ (All Jurisdictions)" dated April 17, 2020 and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) identified in Table 86-11(1) whose top level document (index map) effective date is April 17, 2020 are hereby adopted by reference.
Table 86-11(1)
Map Panel #
Effective Date
Suffix
Map Panel #
Effective Date
Suffix
34031C0194
April 17, 2020
G
34031C0252
April 17, 2020
G
34031C0213
April 17, 2020
G
34031C0214
April 17, 2020
G
34031C0251
April 17, 2020
G
(2) 
Federal best available information. The Township of Little Falls 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 86-11(2)
Map Panel #
Preliminary Date
Map Panel #
Preliminary Date
No federal flood information has been provided to the Township of Little Falls at the time of adoption.
(3) 
Other best available data. The Township of Little Falls 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 Little Falls 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 § 86-11A(1) and (2), above. This information shall be used for floodplain regulation purposes only.
The Township of Little Falls did not develop more restrictive flood zone mapping at the time of adoption.
(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 Control Act Design Flood Elevation," as defined in ARTICLE IX, and as described in the New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act at N.J.A.C. 7:13. A FHACA flood hazard area exists along every regulated water that has a drainage area of 50 acres or greater. Such areas 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 86-11(3) List of State Studied Waters
Name of Studied Water
File Name
Map Number
Peckman River, Great Notch Brook
AB000038
29
Passaic River
AB000039
27
Great Notch Brook
FA000013
5
Passaic River, Peckman River
FA000015
3
Passaic River, Peckman River, Dowling Brook, Tributary Passaic River
FA000016
2
Passaic River
G0000001
R-17
Passaic River
G0000008
Q-18
Singac Brook, Preakness Brook, Passaic River
G0000009
Q-17
Singac Brook, Preakness Brook, Passaic River
G0000009
Q-17
Passaic River
G0000067
R-18
Third River
SUPPIV19
T-10
Passaic River
AB000061p
61P
Passaic River
AB000062p
62P
Great Notch Brook
AB000075p
75P
Great Notch Brook
AB000076p
76P
Great Notch Brook
AB000077p
77P
Great Notch Brook
AB000078p
78P
Great Notch Brook
FA000048p
20P
Passaic River
G0000056p
PR-1, DVBL-1
Third River
SUPPIV21p
08P
(5) 
The most restrictive 0.2% annual chance (500-year) effective or preliminary FEMA flood study is adopted by this chapter for consideration when establishing the Best Available Flood Hazard Data Area.
A. 
The local design flood elevation (LDFE) is established in the flood hazard areas determined in § 86-11, 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. 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 § 86-11, above plus two feet of freeboard; or
(2) 
For any undelineated watercourse (where mapping or studies described in § 86-11A(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 or higher standard feet 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 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 86.35-36.
(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 two feet of freeboard. If no depth number is specified, the local design flood elevation is four 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.