Before any construction or other development (as defined in §
90-12), including the placement of manufactured homes, begins within any areas of special flood hazard established in §
90-1, a flood hazard development permit shall be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer, except as provided in §
90-7. This permit shall be in addition to any other permits which may be required pursuant to the codes and ordinances of the Town of Bar Harbor, Maine.
The application for a flood hazard development
permit shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer and shall
include (Subsections H through K(3) apply only to new construction
and substantial improvements.):
A. The name, address and phone number of the applicant,
owner, and contractor;
B. An address and a map indicating the location of the
construction site;
C. A site plan showing location of existing and/or proposed
development, including but not limited to structures, sewage disposal
facilities, water supply facilities, areas to be cut and filled, and
the lot dimensions;
D. A statement of the intended use of the structure and/or
development;
E. A statement of the cost of the development including
all materials and labor;
F. A statement as to the type of sewage system proposed;
G. Specification of dimensions of the proposed structure
and/or development;
H. The elevation, in relation to the National Geodetic
Vertical Datum (NGVD) or to a locally established datum in Zone A
only, of the:
(1) Base flood at the proposed site of all new or substantially
improved structures, which is determined:
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(a) In Zones AE and VE from data contained in the Flood Insurance Study - Hancock County, Maine, as described in §
90-1; or
(b) In Zone A:
[1]
From any base flood elevation data from federal, state, or other technical sources (such as FEMA's Quick-2 model, FEMA 265), including information obtained pursuant to §§
90-6K and
90-9D;
[2]
From the contour elevation extrapolated from
a best fit analysis of the floodplain boundary when overlaid onto
a USGS Quadrangle Map or other topographic map prepared by a Professional
Land Surveyor or registered professional engineer, if the floodplain
boundary has a significant correlation to the elevation contour line(s);
or, in the absence of all other data,
[3]
To be the elevation of the ground at the intersection
of the floodplain boundary and a line perpendicular to the shoreline
which passes along the ground through the site of the proposed building.
(2) Highest and lowest grades at the site adjacent to
the walls of the proposed building;
(3) Lowest floor, including basement; and whether or not
such structures contain a basement; and
(4) Level, in the case of nonresidential structures only,
to which the structure will be floodproofed.
I. A description of an elevation reference point established on the site of all developments for which elevation standards apply as required in §
90-6;
J. A written certification by a professional land surveyor,
registered professional engineer or architect, that the base flood
elevations and grade elevations shown on the application are accurate;
K. The following certifications as required in §
90-6 by a registered professional engineer or architect:
(1) A floodproofing certificate (FEMA Form 81-65, as amended), to verify that the floodproofing methods for any nonresidential structures will meet the floodproofing criteria of §§
90-3H(4),
90-6G and other applicable standards in §
90-6;
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(2) A V-Zone certificate to verify that the construction in coastal high hazard areas, Zone VE, will meet the criteria of §
90-6P; and other applicable standards in §
90-6;
(3) A hydraulic openings certificate to verify that engineered hydraulic openings in foundation walls will meet the standards of §
90-6L(2)(a);
(4) A certified statement that bridges will meet the standards of §
90-6M;
(5) A certified statement that containment walls will meet the standards of §
90-6N;
L. A description of the extent to which any watercourse
will be altered or relocated as a result of the proposed development;
and
M. A statement or construction plans describing in detail how each applicable development standard in §
90-6 will be met.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall:
A. Review all applications for the flood hazard development permit to assure that proposed developments are reasonably safe from flooding and to determine that all pertinent requirements of §
90-6 (Development standards) have been, or will be met;
B. Utilize, in the review of all flood hazard development
permit applications:
(1) The base flood data contained in the Flood Insurance Study — Hancock County, Maine, as described in §
90-1;
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(2) In special flood hazard areas where base flood elevation data are not provided, the Code Enforcement Officer shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data from federal, state, or other technical sources, including information obtained pursuant to §§
90-3H(1)(b),
90-6K, and
90-9D, in order to administer §
90-6 of this chapter; and
(3) When the community establishes a base flood elevation in a Zone A by methods outlined in §
90-3H(1)(b), the community shall submit that data to the Maine Floodplain Management Program.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
C. Make interpretations of the location of boundaries of special flood hazard areas shown on the maps described in §
90-1 of this chapter;
D. In the review of flood hazard development permit applications,
determine that all necessary permits have been obtained from those
federal, state and local government agencies from which prior approval
is required by federal or state law, including but not limited to
Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments
of 1972, 33 U.S.C. § 1344;
E. Notify adjacent municipalities, the Department of
Environmental Protection, and the Maine Floodplain Management Program
prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse and submit
copies of such notifications to the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
F. Flood hazard development permits.
(1) If the application satisfies the requirements of this
chapter, approve the issuance of one of the following flood hazard
development permits, based on the type of development:
(a) A two-part flood hazard development permit for elevated structures. Part I shall authorize the applicant to build a structure to and including the first horizontal floor only above the base flood level. At that time the applicant shall provide the Code Enforcement Officer with an elevation certificate completed by a professional land surveyor, registered professional engineer or architect based on the Part I permit construction, as-built, for verifying compliance with the elevation requirements of §
90-6F,
G,
H, or
P. Following review of the elevation certificate data, which shall take place within 72 hours of receipt of the application, the Code Enforcement Officer shall issue Part II of the flood hazard development permit. Part II shall authorize the applicant to complete the construction project; or
(b) A flood hazard development permit for floodproofing of nonresidential structures that are new construction or substantially improved nonresidential structures that are not being elevated but that meet the floodproofing standards of §
90-6G(1)(a),
(b), and
(c). The application for this permit shall include a floodproofing certificate signed by a registered professional engineer or architect; or
(c) A flood hazard development permit for minor development for all development that is not new construction or a substantial improvement, such as repairs, maintenance, renovations, or additions, whose value is less than 50% of the market value of the structure. Minor development also includes, but is not limited to, accessory structures as provided for in §
90-6J, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations, storage of equipment or materials, deposition or extraction of materials, public or private sewage disposal systems or water supply facilities that do not involve structures; and nonstructural projects such as bridges, dams, towers, fencing, pipelines, wharves, and piers.
(2) For development that requires review and approval as a conditional use, as provided for in this ordinance, the flood hazard development permit application shall be acted upon by the Planning Board as required in §
90-7.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
G. Maintain, as a permanent record, copies of all flood hazard development permit applications, corresponding permits issued and data relevant thereto, including reports of the Board of Appeals on variances granted under the provisions of §
90-10 of this ordinance, and copies of elevation certificates, floodproofing certificates, certificates of compliance and certificates of design standards required under the provisions of §§
90-3,
90-6, and
90-8 of this chapter.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
All development in areas of special flood hazard
shall meet the following applicable standards:
A. All development. All development shall:
(1) Be designed or modified and adequately anchored to
prevent flotation (excluding piers and docks), collapse or lateral
movement of the development resulting from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic
loads, including the effects of buoyancy;
(2) Use construction materials that are resistant to flood
damage;
(3) Use construction methods and practices that will minimize
flood damage; and
(4) Use electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, and
air-conditioning equipment and other service facilities that are designed
and/or located so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating
within the components during flooding conditions.
B. Water supply. All new and replacement water supply
systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of
floodwaters into the systems.
C. Sanitary sewage systems. All new and replacement sanitary
sewage systems shall be designed and located to minimize or eliminate
infiltration of floodwaters into the system and discharge from the
system into floodwaters.
D. On-site waste disposal systems. On-site waste disposal
systems shall be located and constructed to avoid impairment to them
or contamination from them during floods.
E. Watercourse carrying capacity. All development associated
with altered or relocated portions of a watercourse shall be constructed
and maintained in such a manner that no reduction occurs in the flood-carrying
capacity of any watercourse.
F. Residential. New construction or substantial improvement
of any residential structure located within:
(1) Zone AE shall have the lowest floor (including basement)
elevated to at least two feet above the base flood elevation.
(2) Zone A shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to at least two feet above the base flood elevation utilizing information obtained pursuant to §§
90-3H(1)(b),
90-5B, or
90-9D.
(3) Zone VE and Coastal AE Zone (as defined) shall meet the requirements of §
90-6P.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
G. Nonresidential. New construction or substantial improvement
of any nonresidential structure located within:
(1) Zone AE shall have the lowest floor (including basement)
elevated to at least two feet above the base flood elevation, or,
together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, shall:
(a) Be floodproofed to at least two feet above the base
flood elevation so that below that elevation the structure is watertight
with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water;
(b) Have structural components capable of resisting hydrostatic
and hydrodynamic loads and the effects of buoyancy; and
(c) Be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect that the floodproofing design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice for meeting the provisions of this section. Such certification shall be provided with the application for a flood hazard development permit, as required by §
90-3K, and shall include a record of the elevation above mean sea level to which the structure is floodproofed.
(2) Zone A shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to at least two feet above the base flood elevation utilizing information obtained pursuant to §§
90-3H(1)(b),
90-5B, or
90-9D;
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(a) Or, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, meet the floodproofing standards of §
90-6G(1).
(3) Zone VE and Coastal AE Zone (as defined) shall meet the requirements of §
90-6P.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
H. Manufactured homes. New or substantially improved
manufactured homes located within:
(1) Zone AE shall:
(a) Be elevated such that the lowest floor (including
basement) of the manufactured home is at least two feet above the
base flood elevation;
(b) Be on a permanent foundation, which may be poured
masonry slab or foundation walls, with hydraulic openings, or may
be reinforced piers or block supports, any of which support the manufactured
home so that no weight is supported by its wheels and axles; and
(c) Be securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation
system to resist flotation, collapse, or lateral movement.
[1]
Methods of anchoring may include, but are not
limited to:
[a]
Over-the-top ties anchored to the ground at
the four corners of the manufactured home, plus two additional ties
per side at intermediate points (manufactured homes less than 50 feet
long require one additional tie per side); or by
[b]
Frame ties at each corner of the home, plus
five additional ties along each side at intermediate points (manufactured
homes less than 50 feet long require four additional ties per side).
[2]
All components of the anchoring system described in §
90-6H(1)(c)[1][a] and [b] shall be capable of carrying a force of 4,800 pounds.
(2) Zone A shall:
(a) Be elevated on a permanent foundation, as described in §
90-6H(1)(b), such that the lowest floor (including basement) of the manufactured home is at least two feet above the base flood elevation utilizing information obtained pursuant to §§
90-3H(1)(b),
90-5B, or
90-9D; and
(3) Zone VE and Coastal AE Zone (as defined) shall meet the requirements of §
90-6P.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
I. Recreational vehicles. Recreational vehicles located
within:
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(1) Zone A and AE shall either:
(a) Be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days;
(b) Be fully licensed and ready for highway 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; or
(c) Be permitted in accordance with the elevation and anchoring requirements for manufactured homes in §
90-6H(1).
(2) Zone VE and Coastal AE Zone (as defined) shall meet the requirements of either §
90-6I(1)(a) or
(b), or
90-6P.
J. Accessory structures. Accessory structures, as defined in §
90-12, located within Zones AE and A, shall be exempt from the elevation criteria required in §
90-6F and
G above, if all other requirements of §
90-6 and all the following requirements are met. Accessory structures shall:
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(1) Have unfinished interiors and not be used for human
habitation;
(2) Have hydraulic openings, as specified in §
90-6L(2), in at least two different walls of the accessory structure;
(3) Be located outside the floodway;
(4) When possible, be constructed and placed on the building
site so as to offer the minimum resistance to the flow of floodwaters
and be placed further from the source of flooding than is the primary
structure; and
(5) Have only ground fault interrupt electrical outlets.
The electrical service disconnect shall be located above the base
flood elevation and when possible outside the special flood hazard
area.
(6) Be located
outside the Coastal AE Zone.
K. Floodways.
(1) In Zone AE riverine areas, encroachments, including
fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other development
shall not be permitted within a regulatory floodway which is designated
on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Map, unless a technical evaluation
certified by a registered professional engineer is provided demonstrating
that such encroachments will not result in any increase in flood levels
within the community during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
(2) In Zones AE and A riverine areas, for which no regulatory floodway is designated, encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvement, and other development shall not be permitted in the floodway as determined in §
90-6K(3) unless a technical evaluation certified by a registered professional engineer is provided demonstrating that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing development and anticipated development:
(a) Will not increase the water surface elevation of the
base flood more than one foot at any point within the community; and
(b) Is consistent with the technical criteria contained
in FEMA's guidelines and standards for flood risk analysis and mapping.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(3) In Zones AE and A riverine areas for which no regulatory
floodway is designated, the regulatory floodway is determined to be
the channel of the river or other watercourse and the adjacent land
areas to a distance of 1/2 the width of the floodplain as measured
from the normal high water mark to the upland limit of the floodplain.
L. Enclosed areas below the lowest floor. New construction or substantial improvement of any structure in Zones AE and A that meets the development standards of §
90-6, including the elevation requirements of §
90-6F,
G or
H, and is elevated on posts, columns, piers, piles, stilts, or crawl spaces may be enclosed below the base flood elevation requirements, provided that all the following criteria are met or exceeded:
(1) Enclosed areas are not "basements" as defined in §
90-12;
(2) Enclosed areas shall be designed to automatically
equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for
the entry and exit of floodwater. Designs for meeting this requirement
must either:
(a) Be engineered and certified by a registered professional
engineer or architect; or
(b) Meet or exceed the following minimum criteria:
[1]
A minimum of two openings having a total net
area of not less than one square inch for every square foot of the
enclosed area.
[2]
The bottom of all openings shall be below the
base flood elevation and no higher than one foot above the lowest
grade; and
[3]
Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers,
valves, or other coverings or devices, provided that they permit the
entry and exit of floodwaters automatically without any external influence
or control, such as human intervention, including the use of electrical
and other nonautomatic mechanical means;
(3) The enclosed area shall not be used for human habitation;
and
(4) The enclosed areas are usable solely for building
access, parking of vehicles, or storage.
M. Bridges. New construction or substantial improvement
of any bridge in Zones AE, A and VE shall be designed such that:
(1) When possible, the lowest horizontal member (excluding
the pilings, or columns) is elevated to at least two feet above the
base flood elevation; and
(2) A registered professional engineer shall certify that:
(a) The structural design and methods of construction shall meet the elevation requirements of this section and the floodway standards of §
90-6K; and
(b) The foundation and superstructure attached thereto
are designed to resist flotation, collapse and lateral movement due
to the effects of wind and water loads acting simultaneously on all
structural components. Water-loading values used shall be those associated
with the base flood.
N. Containment walls. New construction or substantial
improvement of any containment wall located within Zones AE, A, and
VE shall:
(1) Have the containment wall elevated to at least two
feet above the base flood elevation;
(2) Have structural components capable of resisting hydrostatic
and hydrodynamic loads and the effects of buoyancy; and
(3) Be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect that the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice for meeting the provisions of this section. Such certification shall be provided with the application for a flood hazard development permit, as required by §
90-3K.
O. Wharves, piers and docks. New construction or substantial
improvement of wharves, piers, and docks is permitted in Zones AE,
A, and VE, in and over water and seaward of the mean high tide if
the following requirements are met:
(1) Wharves, piers, and docks shall comply with all applicable
local, state, and federal regulations; and
(2) For commercial wharves, piers, and docks, a registered
professional engineer shall develop or review the structural design,
specifications, and plans for the construction.
P. Coastal floodplains.
(1) All new construction located within Zones AE, A and VE shall be located landward of the reach of the mean high tide except as provided for in §
90-6P(6).
(2) New construction or substantial improvement of any
structure located within Zone VE and Coastal AE Zone (as defined)
shall:
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(a) Be elevated on posts or columns such that:
[1]
The bottom of the lowest horizontal structural
member of the lowest floor (excluding the pilings or columns) is elevated
to two feet above the base flood elevation;
[2]
The pile or column foundation and the elevated
portion of the structure attached thereto is anchored to resist flotation,
collapse, and lateral movement due to the effects of wind and water-loads
acting simultaneously on all building components; and
[3]
Water-loading values used shall be those associated
with the base flood. Wind-loading values used shall be those required
by applicable state and local building standards.
(b) Have the space below the lowest floor:
[2]
Constructed with open wood lattice work or insect
screening intended to collapse under wind and water without causing
collapse, displacement, or other structural damage to the elevated
portion of the building or supporting piles or columns; or
[3]
Constructed to enclose less than 300 square
feet of area with nonsupporting breakaway walls which have a design
safe loading resistance of not less than 10 or more than 20 pounds
per square foot.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(c) Require a registered professional engineer or architect
to:
[1]
Develop or review the structural design, specifications,
and plans for the construction, which must meet or exceed the technical
criteria contained in the Coastal Construction Manual (FEMA 55); and
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
[2]
Certify that the design and methods of construction to be used are in accordance with accepted standards of practice for meeting the criteria of §
90-6P(2).
(3) The use of fill for structural support in Zone VE
and Coastal AE Zone (as defined) is prohibited.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(4) Human alteration of sand dunes within Zone VE and
Coastal AE Zone (as defined) is prohibited unless it can be demonstrated
that such alterations will not increase potential flood damage.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(5) The enclosed areas may be used solely for parking
vehicles, building access, and storage.
(6) Conditional use. Lobster sheds and fishing sheds may be located seaward of mean high tide and shall be exempt from the elevation requirement in §
90-6G only if permitted as a conditional use following review and approval by the Planning Board, as provided in §
90-7, and if all the following requirements and those of §§
90-6A and
90-6K and
90-6L are met:
(a) The conditional use shall be limited to low-value
structures such as metal or wood sheds 200 square feet or less and
shall not exceed more than one story.
(b) The structure shall be securely anchored to the wharf
or pier to resist flotation, collapse, and lateral movement due to
the effect of wind and water-loads acting simultaneously on all building
components.
(c) The structure will not adversely increase wave or
debris impact forces affecting nearby buildings.
(d) The structure shall have unfinished interiors and
shall not be used for human habitation.
(e) Any mechanical, utility equipment and fuel storage
tanks must be anchored and either elevated or floodproofed to two
feet above the base flood elevation.
(f) All electrical outlets shall be ground-fault-interrupt
type. The electrical service disconnect shall be located on shore
above the base flood elevation and when possible outside the special
flood hazard area.
The Planning Board shall hear and decide upon
applications for conditional uses provided for in this chapter. The
Planning Board shall hear and approve, approve with conditions, or
disapprove all applications for conditional uses. An applicant informed
by the Code Enforcement Officer that a conditional use permit is required
shall file an application for the permit with the Planning Board.
A. Review procedure for a conditional use flood hazard
development permit.
(1) The flood hazard development permit application with
additional information attached addressing how each of the conditional
use criteria specified in the chapter will be satisfied, may serve
as the permit application for the conditional use permit.
(2) Before deciding any application, the Planning Board
shall hold a public hearing on the application within 30 days of its
receipt of the application.
(3) If the Planning Board finds that the application satisfies
all relevant requirements of the chapter, the Planning Board must
approve the application or approve with conditions within 45 days
of the date of the public hearing.
(4) A conditional use permit issued under the provisions
of this ordinance shall expire if the work or change involved is not
commenced within 180 days of the issuance of the permit by the Planning
Board.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(5) The applicant shall be notified by the Planning Board
in writing over the signature of the Chairman of the Planning Board
that flood insurance is not available for structures located entirely
over water or seaward of mean high tide.
B. Expansion of conditional uses.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
(1) No existing
building or use of premises may be expanded or enlarged without a
permit issued under this section if that building or use was established
or constructed under a previously issued conditional use permit or
if it is a building or use which would require a conditional use permit
if being newly established or constructed under this chapter.
No land in a special flood hazard area shall
be occupied or used and no structure which is constructed or substantially
improved shall be occupied until a certificate of compliance is issued
by the Code Enforcement Officer subject to the following provisions:
A. For new construction or substantial improvement of
any elevated structure, the applicant shall submit to the Code Enforcement
Officer:
(1) An elevation certificate completed by a professional land surveyor, registered professional engineer, or architect, for compliance with §
90-6F,
G,
H, or
P; and
(2) For structures in Zone VE and Coastal AE Zone (as defined), certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the design and methods of construction used are in compliance with §
90-6P(2).
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
B. The applicant shall submit written notification to
the Code Enforcement Officer that the development is complete and
complies with the provisions of this chapter.
C. Within 10 working days, the Code Enforcement Officer
shall:
(1) Review the required certificate(s) and the applicant's
written notification; and
(2) Upon determination that the development conforms with
the provisions of this chapter, shall issue a certificate of compliance.
The Planning Board shall, when reviewing subdivisions
and other proposed developments that require review under other federal
law, state law, or local ordinances or regulations and all projects
on five or more disturbed acres, or in the case of manufactured home
parks divided into two or more lots, assure that:
A. All such proposals are consistent with the need to
minimize flood damage.
B. All public utilities and facilities, such as sewer,
gas, electrical and water systems, are located and constructed to
minimize or eliminate flood damages.
C. Adequate drainage is provided so as to reduce exposure
to flood hazards.
D. All proposals include base flood elevations, flood
boundaries, and, in a riverine floodplain, floodway data. These determinations
shall be based on engineering practices recognized by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency.
E. Any proposed development plan must include a condition of plan approval requiring that structures on any lot in the development having any portion of its land within a special flood hazard area are to be constructed in accordance with §
90-6 of this chapter. Such requirement will be included in any deed, lease, purchase and sale agreement, or document transferring or expressing an intent to transfer any interest in real estate or a structure, including but not limited to a time-share interest. The condition shall clearly articulate that the municipality may enforce any violation of the construction requirement and that fact shall also be included in the deed or any other document previously described. The construction requirement shall also be clearly stated on any map, plat, or plan to be signed by the Planning Board or local reviewing authority as part of the approval process.
The Board of Appeals of the Town of Bar Harbor
may, upon written application of an aggrieved party, hear and decide
appeals where it is alleged that there is an error in any order, requirement,
decision, or determination made by, or failure to act by the Code
Enforcement Officer or Planning Board in the administration of the
provisions of this chapter. The Board of Appeals may grant a variance
from the requirements of this chapter consistent with state law and
the following criteria:
A. Variances shall not be granted within any designated
regulatory floodway if any increase in flood levels during the base
flood discharge would result.
B. Variances shall be granted only upon:
(1) A showing of good and sufficient cause; and
(2) A determination that should a flood comparable to
the base flood occur, the granting of a variance will not result in
increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, public
expense, or create nuisances, cause fraud or victimization of the
public or conflict with existing local laws or ordinances; and
(3) A showing that the issuance of the variance will not
conflict with other state, federal, or local laws or ordinances; and
(4) A determination that failure to grant the variance
would result in undue hardship, which in this subsection means:
(a)
That the land in question cannot yield a reasonable
return unless a variance is granted; and
(b)
That the need for a variance is due to the unique
circumstances of the property and not to the general conditions in
the neighborhood; and
(c)
That the granting of a variance will not alter
the essential character of the locality; and
(d)
That the hardship is not the result of action
taken by the applicant or a prior owner.
C. Variances shall only be issued upon a determination
that the variance is the minimum necessary, considering the flood
hazard, to afford relief, and the Board of Appeals may impose such
conditions to a variance as it deems necessary.
D. Variances may be issued for new construction, substantial
improvements, or other development for the conduct of a functionally
dependent use, provided that:
(2) The structure or other development is protected by
methods that minimize flood damages during the base flood and create
no additional threats to public safety.
E. Variances may be issued for the repair, reconstruction,
rehabilitation, or restoration of historic structures upon the determination
that:
(1) The development meets the criteria of §
90-10A though D above; and
(2) The proposed repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
or restoration will not preclude the structure's continued designation
as an historic structure and the variance is the minimum necessary
to preserve the historic character and design of the structure.
F. Any applicant who meets the criteria of §
90-10A through
E, shall be notified by the Board of Appeals, in writing, over the signature of the Chairman of the Board of Appeals that:
(1) The issuance of a variance to construct a structure
below the base flood level will result in greatly increased premium
rates for flood insurance up to amounts as high as $25 per $100 of
insurance coverage;
(2) Such construction below the base flood level increases
risks to life and property; and
(3) The applicant agrees in writing that the applicant
is fully aware of all the risks inherent in the use of land subject
to flooding, assumes those risks and agrees to indemnify and defend
the municipality against any claims filed against it that are related
to the applicant's decision to use land located in a floodplain and
that the applicant individually releases the municipality from any
claims the applicant may have against the municipality that are related
to the use of land located in a floodplain.
G. Appeal procedure for administrative and variance appeals.
(1) An administrative or variance appeal may be taken
to the Board of Appeals by an aggrieved party within 30 days after
receipt of a written decision of the Code Enforcement Officer or Planning
Board.
(2) Upon being notified of an appeal, the Code Enforcement
Officer or Planning Board, as appropriate, shall transmit to the Board
of Appeals all of the papers constituting the record of the decision
appealed from.
(3) The Board of Appeals shall hold a public hearing on
the appeal within 35 days of its receipt of an appeal request.
(4) The person filing the appeal shall have the burden
of proof.
(5) The Board of Appeals shall decide all appeals within
35 days after the close of the hearing, and shall issue a written
decision on all appeals.
(6) The Board of Appeals shall submit to the Code Enforcement
Officer a report of all variance actions, including justification
for the granting of the variance and an authorization for the Code
Enforcement Officer to issue a flood hazard development permit, which
includes any conditions to be attached to said permit.
(7) Any aggrieved party who participated as a party during
the proceedings before the Board of Appeals may take an appeal to
Superior Court in accordance with state laws within 45 days from the
date of any decision of the Board of Appeals.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
Unless specifically defined below, words and phrases used in
this ordinance shall have the same meanings as they have at common
law and to give this chapter its most reasonable application. Words
used in the present tense include the future, the singular number
includes the plural, and the plural number includes the singular.
The word "may" is permissive; "shall" is mandatory and not discretionary.
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE
A small detached structure that is incidental and subordinate
to the principal structure.
ADJACENT GRADE
The natural elevation of the ground surface prior to construction
next to the proposed walls of a structure.
AREA OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD
The land in the floodplain having a one-percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year, as specifically identified in the Flood Insurance Study cited in §
90-1 of this chapter.
BASE FLOOD
The flood having a one-percent chance of being equaled or
exceeded in any given year, commonly called the "one-hundred-year
flood."
BASEMENT
Any area of the building having its floor subgrade (below
ground level) on all sides.
BREAKAWAY WALL
A wall that is not part of the structural support of the
building and is intended through its design and construction to collapse
under specific lateral loading forces, without causing damage to the
elevated portion of the building or supporting foundation system.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
A document signed by the Code Enforcement Officer stating
that a structure is in compliance with all of the provisions of this
chapter.
COASTAL AE ZONE
The portion of the coastal high hazard area with wave heights
between 1.5 feet and 3.0 feet and bounded by a line labeled the “Limit
of Moderate Wave Action" (LiMWA) on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).
VE Zone floodplain construction standards are applied to development,
new construction and substantial improvements in the Coastal AE Zone.
COASTAL HIGH HAZARD AREA
An area of special flood hazard extending from offshore to
the inland limit of a primary frontal dune along an open coast and
any other area subject to high velocity wave action from storms or
seismic sources. Coastal high hazard areas are designated as Zone
VE and Zone AE bounded by a line labeled “Limit of Moderate
Wave Action” (LiMWA) on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
A person certified under Title 30 M.R.S.A. § 4451 (including
exemptions in § 4451, Paragraph 1) and employed by a municipality
to enforce all applicable comprehensive planning and land use laws.
CONDITIONAL USE
A use that, because of its potential impact on surrounding areas and structures, is permitted only upon review and approval by the Planning Board pursuant to §
90-7.
CONTAINMENT WALL
A wall used to convey or direct stormwater or sanitary water
from the initial source to the final destination.
DEVELOPMENT
A man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate.
This includes, but is not limited to, buildings or other structures;
mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations;
or storage of equipment or materials, and the storage, deposition,
or extraction of materials.
ELEVATED BUILDING
A nonbasement building:
A.
Built, in the case of a building in Zone AE
or A, so that the top of the elevated floor, or in the case of a building
in Zone VE or Coastal AE Zone, to have the bottom of the lowest horizontal
structural member of the elevated floor, elevated above the ground
level by means of pilings, columns, post, piers, or stilts; and
B.
Adequately anchored so as not to impair the
structural integrity of the building during a flood of up to two feet
above the magnitude of the base flood.
C.
In the case of Zone AE or A, "elevated building" also includes a building elevated by means of fill or solid foundation perimeter walls with hydraulic openings sufficient to facilitate the unimpeded movement of floodwaters, as required by §
90-6L. In the case of Zone VE or Coastal AE Zone, "elevated building" also includes a building otherwise meeting the definition of elevated building, even though the lower area is enclosed by means of breakaway walls, if the breakaway walls meet the standards of § 90-6P(2)(b)[3].
ELEVATION CERTIFICATE
An official form (FEMA Form 81-31, as amended) that:
A.
Is used to verify compliance with the floodplain
management regulations of the National Flood Insurance Program; and
B.
Is required for purchasing flood insurance.
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.
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 Subsection (1)(a) of this definition.
FLOOD ELEVATION STUDY
An examination, evaluation and determination of flood hazards
and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations.
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM)
An official map of a community on which the Federal Insurance
Administrator has delineated both the special hazard areas and the
risk premium zones applicable to the community.
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT
The operation of an overall program of corrective and preventive
measures for reducing flood damage, including but not limited to emergency
preparedness plans, flood control works, and floodplain management
regulations.
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 contents.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
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, such as wave action, bridge openings,
and the hydrological effect of urbanization of the watershed, that
could contribute to flood heights greater than the height calculated
for a selected size flood and floodway conditions.
FUNCTIONALLY DEPENDENT USE
A use which cannot perform its intended purpose unless it
is located or carried out in close proximity to water. The term includes
only docking facilities, port facilities that are necessary for the
loading and unloading of cargo or passengers, and shipbuilding and
ship repair facilities but does not include long-term storage or related
manufacturing facilities.
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 of the Interior 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.
LIMIT OF MODERATE WAVE ACTION (LiMWA)
The landward limit of the 1.5 foot breaking wave within a
Coastal AE Zone. These areas are bounded by a line labeled “Limit
of Moderate Wave Action” (LiMWA) on a Flood Insurance Rate Map
(FIRM). The LiMWA line delineates that portion of the special flood
hazard area (SFHA) landward of a VE Zone in which the principal sources
of flooding are astronomical high tides, storm surges, or tsunamis,
not riverine sources. These areas may be subject to wave effects,
velocity flows, erosion, scour, or combinations of these forces.
The floodplain development and construction standards for VE Zones
will be applied in the Coastal AE Zone.
LOCALLY ESTABLISHED DATUM
For purposes of this chapter, an elevation established for
a specific site to which all other elevations at the site are referenced.
This elevation is generally not referenced to the National Geodetic
Vertical Datum (NGVD), North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) or any
other established datum and is used in areas where mean sea level
data is too far from a specific site to be practically used.
LOWEST FLOOR
The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement). An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a basement area is not considered a building's lowest floor, provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirements of §
90-6L of this ordinance.
[Amended 6-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]
MANUFACTURED HOME
A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which
is built on a permanent chassis and is designed for use with or without
a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities. For
floodplain management purposes, the term "manufactured home" also
includes park trailers, travel trailers, and other similar vehicles
placed on a site for greater than 180 consecutive days.
MEAN SEA LEVEL
When related to the National Flood Insurance Program, the
National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of 1929, North American Vertical
Datum (NAVD) or other datum, to which base flood elevations shown
on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map are referenced.
MINOR DEVELOPMENT
All development that is not new construction or a substantial improvement, such as repairs, maintenance, renovations, or additions, whose value is less than 50% of the market value of the structure. It also includes, but is not limited to, accessory structures as provided for in §
90-6J, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations, storage of equipment or materials, deposition or extraction of materials, public or private sewage disposal systems or water supply facilities that do not involve structures; and nonstructural projects such as bridges, dams, towers, fencing, pipelines, wharves, and piers.
NATIONAL GEODETIC VERTICAL DATUM (NGVD)
The national vertical datum, a standard established in 1929,
which is used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). NGVD
was based upon mean sea level in 1929 and also has been called "1929
Mean Sea Level (MSL)."
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Structures for which the start of construction commenced
on or after the effective date of the initial floodplain management
regulations adopted by a community and includes any subsequent improvements
to such structures.
NORTH AMERICAN VERTICAL DATUM (NAVD)
The national datum whose standard was established in 1988,
which is the new vertical datum used by the National Flood Insurance
Program (NFIP) for all new Flood Insurance Rate Maps. NAVD is based
upon vertical datum used by other North American countries such as
Canada and Mexico and was established to replace NGVD because of constant
movement of the earth’s crust, glacial rebound, and subsidence
and the increasing use of satellite technology.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
A vehicle which is:
A.
Built on a single chassis;
B.
Four hundred square feet or less when measured
at the largest horizontal projection, not including slideouts;
C.
Designed to be self-propelled or permanently
towable by a motor vehicle; and
D.
Designed primarily not for use as a permanent
dwelling but as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping,
travel, or seasonal use.
REGULATORY FLOODWAY
A.
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 one foot; and
B.
When not designated on the community's Flood
Insurance Rate Map, it is considered to be the channel of a river
or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas to a distance of
1/2 the width of the floodplain, as measured from the normal high
water mark to the upland limit of the floodplain.
RIVERINE
Relating to, formed by, or resembling a river (including
tributaries), stream, brook, etc.
START OF CONSTRUCTION
The date the building permit was issued, provided the actual
start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition,
placement, substantial improvement 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 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. 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, or modification of any construction
element, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions
of the building.
STRUCTURE
For floodplain management purposes, a walled and roofed building.
A gas or liquid storage tank that is principally above ground is also
a structure.
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, 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 official and which are the minimum necessary to assure
safe living conditions; or
B.
Any alteration of an historic structure, provided
that the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation
as an historic structure, and a variance is obtained from the Board
of Appeals.
VARIANCE
A grant of relief by a community from the terms of a floodplain
management regulation.
VIOLATION
The failure of a structure or other development to comply
with a community's floodplain management regulations.