A.
The identified floodplain area shall be: any areas of the Township
of Girard classified as special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) in the
Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate
Maps (FIRMs) dated February 19, 2014, and issued by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), or the most recent revision thereof, including
all digital data developed as part of the Flood Insurance Study.
B.
The above referenced FIS and FIRMs, and any subsequent revisions
and amendments, are hereby adopted by Township of Girard and declared
to be a part of this chapter.
The identified floodplain area shall consist of the following
specific areas:
A.
The AE Area/District shall be those areas identified as an AE Zone
on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for which base flood
elevations have been provided.
(1)
AE Area without floodway shall be those areas identified as an AE
Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for which base
flood elevations have been provided but no floodway has been determined.
(a)
No permit shall be granted for any construction, development,
use, or activity within any AE Area/District without floodway unless
it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect of the proposed development
would not, together with all other existing and anticipated development,
increase the BFE more than one foot at any point.
(b)
No new construction or development shall be located within the
area measured 50 feet landward from the top-of-bank of any watercourse,
unless the appropriate permit is obtained from the Department of Environmental
Protection Regional Office.
B.
The A Area/District shall be those areas identified as an A Zone
on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA and for which no
base flood elevations have been provided.
(1)
For these areas, elevation and floodway information from other federal,
state, or other acceptable sources shall be used when available. Where
other acceptable information is not available, the base flood elevation
shall be determined by using the elevation of a point on the boundary
of the identified floodplain area which is nearest the construction
site.
(2)
In lieu of the above, the municipality may require the applicant
to determine the elevation with hydrologic and hydraulic engineering
techniques. Hydrologic and hydraulic analyses shall be undertaken
only by professional engineers or others of demonstrated qualifications,
who shall certify that the technical methods used correctly reflect
currently accepted technical concepts. Studies, analyses, computations,
etc., shall be submitted in sufficient detail to allow a thorough
technical review by the municipality.
C.
The AO and AH Area/District shall be those areas identified as Zones
AO and AH on the FIRM and in the FIS. These areas are subject to inundation
by one-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding where average depths
are between one and three feet.
(1)
In Zones AO and AH, drainage paths shall be established to guide
floodwaters around and away from structures on slopes.
The identified floodplain area may be revised or modified by the Board of Supervisors where studies or information provided by a qualified agency or person documents the need for such revision. However, prior to any such change to the special flood hazard area, approval must be obtained from FEMA. Additionally, as soon as practicable, but not later than six months after the date such information becomes available, a community shall notify FEMA of the changes to the special flood hazard area by submitting technical or scientific data. See § 100-21B for situations where FEMA notification is required.
Should a dispute concerning any identified floodplain boundary
arise, an initial determination shall be made by the Township of Girard
and any party aggrieved by this decision or determination may appeal
to the Board of Supervisors. The burden of proof shall be on the appellant.
