[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of Bethel 6-10-2009.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 96.
Shoreland zoning — See Ch. 132.
Site plan review — See Ch. 140.
Subdivision — See Ch. 150.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch.
105, Floodplain Management, adopted 6-9-1993, as amended.
A.
Certain areas of the Town of Bethel, Maine, are subject to periodic
flooding, causing serious damages to properties within these areas.
Relief is available in the form of flood insurance as authorized by
the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. Therefore, the Town of Bethel,
Maine, has chosen to become a participating community in the National
Flood Insurance Program, and agrees to comply with the requirements
of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-488, as amended)
as delineated in this floodplain management chapter.
B.
It is the intent of the Town of Bethel, Maine, to require the recognition
and evaluation of flood hazards in all official actions relating to
land use in the floodplain areas having special flood hazards.
C.
The Town of Bethel has the legal authority to adopt land use and
control measures to reduce future flood losses pursuant to 30-A M.R.S.A.
§§ 3001 through 3007, 4352, 4401 through 4407, and
38 M.R.S.A. § 440.
D.
The National Flood Insurance Program, established in the aforesaid
Act, provides that areas of the Town of Bethel having a special flood
hazard be identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and
that floodplain management measures be applied in such flood hazard
areas. This chapter establishes a flood hazard development permit
system and review procedure for development activities in the designated
flood hazard areas of the Town of Bethel, Maine.
E.
The areas of special flood hazard, Zones A and AE, for the Town of
Bethel, Maine, Oxford County, Maine, are identified by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency in a report entitled "Flood Insurance
Study — Oxford County," dated July 7, 2009, with accompanying
Flood Insurance Rate Map Panels 795, 802, 803, 804, 806, 807, 808,
811, 812, 813, 814, 816, 817, 818, 819, 826, 827, 828, 829, 831, 833,
834, 836, 837, 838, 839, 845, 1005, and 1010 derived from the county-wide
digital flood insurance rate map entitled "Digital Flood Insurance
Rate Map, Oxford County," which are hereby adopted by reference and
declared to be a part of this chapter.
Before any construction or other development (as defined in § 105-12), including the placement of manufactured homes, begins within any areas of special flood hazard established in § 105-1, a flood hazard development permit shall be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer. This permit shall be in addition to any other permits which may be required pursuant to the codes and ordinances of the Town of Bethel, Maine.
The application for a flood hazard development permit shall
be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer and shall include. [Subsections
H through K(2) apply only to new construction and substantial improvements.]:
A.
The names, addresses and phone numbers of the applicant, owner, and
contractor;
B.
An address and a map indicating the location of the construction
site;
C.
A site plan showing the 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 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), North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) 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:
(a)
In Zone AE, from data contained in the "Flood Insurance Study- Oxford County," as described in § 105-1; or
(b)
In Zone A:
[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
[3]
In the absence of all other data, 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 § 105-6;
J.
A written certification by a professional land surveyor, registered
professional engineer or architect, that the base flood elevation
and grade elevations shown on the application are accurate;
K.
The following certifications as required in § 105-6 by a registered professional engineer or architect:
(2)
A hydraulic openings certificate to verify that engineered hydraulic openings in foundation walls will meet the standards of § 105-6L(2)(a).
L.
A description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered
or relocated as a result of the proposed development; and
A.
A nonrefundable application fee as provided in the Town of Bethel
Fee Schedule shall accompany the application.
B.
An additional fee may be charged if the Code Enforcement Officer
and/or Board of Appeals needs the assistance of a professional engineer
or other expert. The expert's fee shall be paid in full by the
applicant within 10 days after the Town submits a bill to the applicant.
Failure to pay the bill shall constitute a violation of the chapter
and be grounds for the issuance of a stop-work order. An expert shall
not be hired by the municipality at the expense of an applicant until
the applicant has either consented to such hiring in writing or been
given an opportunity to be heard on the subject. An applicant who
is dissatisfied with a decision to hire expert assistance may appeal
that decision to the Board of Appeals.
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 § 105-6, Development standards, have been or will be met;
B.
Utilize, in the review of all flood hazard development permit applications:
(1)
The base flood and floodway data contained in the "Flood Insurance Study — Oxford County, Maine," as described in § 105-1;
(2)
In special flood hazard areas where base flood elevation and floodway data arc 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 §§ 105-3H(1)(b), 105-6K and 105-8D, in order to administer § 105-6 of this chapter; and
(3)
When the community establishes a base flood elevation in a Zone A by methods outlined in § 105-3H(1)(b), the community shall submit that data to the Maine Floodplain Management Program in the State Planning Office.
C.
Make interpretations of the location of boundaries of special flood hazard areas shown on the maps described in § 105-1 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 in the State Planning
Office prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse and
submit copies of such notifications to the Federal Emergency Management
Agency;
F.
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:
(1)
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 § 105-6F, G, or H. 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
(2)
A flood hazard development permit for floodproofmg of nonresidential structures that are new construction or substantially improved nonresidential structures that are not being elevated but that meet the floodproofing standards of § 105-6G(1)(a), (b), and (c). The application for this permit shall include a floodproofing certificate signed by a registered professional engineer or architect; or
(3)
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 § 105-6J, 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.
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 § 105-9 of this chapter, and copies of elevation certificates, floodproofing certificates, certificates of compliance and certifications of design standards required under the provisions of § 105-3, 105-6, and 105-8 of this chapter.
All developments 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 discharges 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 the watercourse.
F.
Residential. New construction or substantial improvement of any residential
structure located within:
(1)
Zones AE shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated
to at least one foot above the base flood elevation.
(2)
Zone A shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to at least one foot above the base flood elevation utilizing information obtained pursuant to § 105-3H(1)(b), 105-5B or 105-8D.
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 one foot above the base flood elevation, or, together
with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, shall:
(a)
Be floodproofed to at least one foot 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 § 105-3K 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 one foot above the base flood elevation utilizing information obtained pursuant to § 105-3H(1)(b), 105-5B or 105-8D, or, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities meet, the floodproofing standards of Subsection G(1).
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 one foot 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
[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 Subsection
H(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 Subsection H(1)(b), such that the lowest floor (including basement) of the manufactured home is at least one foot above the base flood elevation utilizing information obtained pursuant to § 105-3H(1)(b), 105-5B or 105-8D; and
I.
Recreational vehicles. Recreational vehicles located within Zones
A and AE shall either:
(1)
Be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days;
(2)
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
J.
Accessory structures. Accessory structures, as defined in § 105-12, located within Zones AE and A, shall be exempt from the elevation criteria required in Subsections F and G above, if all other requirements of § 105-6 and all the following requirements are met. Accessory structures shall:
(1)
Be 500 square feet or less and have a value of less than $3,000;
(2)
Have unfinished interiors and not be used for human habitation;
(3)
Have hydraulic openings, as specified in Subsection L(2) in at least two different walls of the accessory structure;
(4)
Be located outside the floodway;
(5)
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
(6)
Have only ground-fault-interrupt electrical outlets. The electric
service disconnect shall be located above the base flood elevation
and when possible outside the special flood hazard area.
K.
Floodways.
(1)
In Zone AE riverine areas, encroachments, including fill, new construction,
substantial improvement, 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 Subsection K(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
(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 § 105-6, including the elevation requirements of Subsection F, G, or H, and is elevated on posts, columns, piers, piles, stilts, or crawlspaces may be enclosed below the base flood elevation requirements, provided all the following criteria are met or exceeded:
(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 and A shall be designed such that:
(1)
When possible, the lowest horizontal member (excluding the pilings,
or columns) is elevated to at least one foot 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 Subsection K; 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 and A shall:
(1)
Have the containment wall elevated to at least one foot 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 § 105-3K.
O.
Wharves, piers and docks. New construction or substantial improvement
of wharves, piers and docks are permitted in Zones AE and A, in and
over water and seaward of the mean high tide if the following requirements
are met:
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:
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 § 105-6 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 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 Bethel 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 or enforcement 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:
E.
Variances may be issued for the repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
or restoration of historic structures upon the determination that:
(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 Subsections A 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 maybe 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.
A.
It shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer to enforce the
provisions of this chapter pursuant to 30-A M.R.S.A. § 4452.
B.
The penalties contained in 30-A M.R.S.A. § 4452 shall apply
to any violation of this chapter.
C.
In addition to any other actions, the Code Enforcement Officer, upon
determination that a violation exists, shall submit a declaration
to the Administrator of the Federal Insurance Administration requesting
a denial of flood insurance. The valid declaration shall consist of:
(1)
The name of the property owner and address or legal description of
the property sufficient to confirm its identity or location;
(2)
A clear and unequivocal declaration that the property is in violation
of a cited state or local law, regulation, or ordinance;
(3)
A clear statement that the public body making the declaration has
authority to do so and a citation to that authority;
(4)
Evidence that the property owner has been provided notice of the
violation and the prospective denial of insurance; and
(5)
A clear statement that the declaration is being submitted pursuant
to Section 1316 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended.
This chapter shall not in any way impair or remove the necessity
of compliance with any other applicable rule, ordinance, regulation,
bylaw, permit, or provision of law. Where this chapter imposes a greater
restriction upon the use of land, buildings, or structures, the provisions
of this chapter shall control.
A.
Unless specifically defined below, words and phrases used in this
chapter 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.
B.
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE
ADJACENT GRADE
AREA OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD
BASE FLOOD
BASEMENT
BUILDING
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
DEVELOPMENT
ELEVATED BUILDING
(1)
(a)
(b)
(2)
ELEVATION CERTIFICATE
FLOOD ELEVATION STUDY
FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (FIRM)
FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY
FLOOD or FLOODING
(1)
(2)
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
FLOODPLAIN OR FLOOD-PRONE AREA
FLOODPROOFING
FLOODWAY
FLOODWAY ENCROACHMENT LINES
FREEBOARD
FUNCTIONALLY DEPENDENT USE
HISTORIC STRUCTURE
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
LOCALLY ESTABLISHED DATUM
LOWEST FLOOR
MANUFACTURED HOME
MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION
MEAN SEA LEVEL
MINOR DEVELOPMENT
NATIONAL GEODETIC VERTICAL DATUM (NGVD)
NEW CONSTRUCTION
NORTH AMERICAN VERTICAL DATUM (NAND)
100-YEAR FLOOD
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
REGULATORY FLOODWAY
(1)
(2)
RIVERINE
SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA
START OF CONSTRUCTION
STRUCTURE
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT
(1)
(2)
VARIANCE
VIOLATION
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
A small detached structure that is incidental and subordinate
to the principal structure.
The natural elevation of the ground surface prior to construction
next to the proposed walls of a structure.
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 § 105-1 of this chapter.
The flood having a one-percent chance of being equaled or
exceeded in any given year, commonly called the "100-year flood."
Any area of the building having its floor subgrade (below
ground level) on all sides.
See "structure."
A document signed by the Code Enforcement Officer stating
that a structure is in compliance with all of the provisions of this
chapter.
A person certified under 30-A M.R.S.A., § 4451
(including exceptions in § 4451, Paragraph I) and employed
by a municipality to enforce all applicable comprehensive planning
and land use laws and ordinances.
Any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate,
including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining,
dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations
or storage of equipment or materials.
A nonbasement building:
Built, in the case of a building in Zone AE or A, to have the
top of the elevated floor elevated above the ground level by means
of pilings, columns, post, piers, or stilts; and
Adequately anchored so as not to impair the structural integrity
of the building during a flood of up to one foot above the magnitude
of the base flood.
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 in § 105-6L.
An official form (FEMA Form 81-31, 02/06, as amended) that.
An examination, evaluation and determination of flood hazards
and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations.
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.
See "flood elevation study."
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.
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.
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.
Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from
any source. (See "flooding.")
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.
See "regulatory floodway."
The lines marking the limits of floodways on federal, state,
and local floodplain maps.
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.
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 ship building and
ship repair facilities, but does not include long-term storage or
related manufacturing facilities.
Any structure that is:
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;
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;
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
Individually listed on a local inventory of historic places
in communities with historic preservation programs that have been
certified either:
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.
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 described in § 105-6L of this chapter.
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.
A parcel (or contiguous parcels) of land divided into two
or more manufactured home lots for rent or sale.
For purposes of 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.
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 § 105-6J, 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.
The national vertical datum whose standard was established
in 1929 and 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)."
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.
The national datum whose standard was established in 1988
and 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.
See "base flood."
A vehicle which is:
Built on a single chassis;
Four hundred square feet or less when measured at the largest
horizontal projection, not including slideouts;
Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a motor
vehicle; and
Designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as
temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal
use.
The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent
land areas that must he reserved in order to discharge the base flood
without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than
one foot; and
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.
Relating to, formed by, or resembling a river (including
tributaries), stream, brook, etc.
See "area of special flood hazard."
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.
For floodplain management purposes, a walled and roofed building.
A gas or liquid storage tank that is principally above ground is also
a structure.
Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the
cost of restoring the structure to its before-damage condition would
equal or exceed 50% of the market value of the structure before the
damage occurred.
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:
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
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 community's
Board of Appeals.
A grant of relief by a community from the terms of a floodplain
management regulation.
The failure of a structure or development to comply with
a community's floodplain management regulations.
This ordinance repeals and replaces any municipal ordinance
previously enacted to comply with the National Flood Insurance Act
of 1968 (P.L. 90-488, as amended).
