Source: https://ecode360.com/7720600
Timestamp: 2020-07-03 20:20:30
Document Index: 150117028

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133', '§ 133']

City of Oswego, NY Flood Damage Prevention
§ 133-7 Interpretation; conflict with other provisions.
§ 133-9 Penalties for noncompliance.
§ 133-10 Warning and disclaimer of liability.
§ 133-11 Designation of local administrator.
§ 133-12 Purpose of floodplain development permit; fees.
§ 133-13 Application for permit.
§ 133-14 Duties and responsibilities of local administrator.
§ 133-15 General standards.
§ 133-16 Standards for all structures.
§ 133-17 Residential structures (except coastal high-hazard areas).
§ 133-18 Residential structures (coastal high-hazard areas).
§ 133-19 Nonresidential structures (except coastal high-hazard areas).
§ 133-20 Nonresidential structures (coastal high-hazard areas).
§ 133-21 Manufactured homes and recreational vehicles.
§ 133-22 Critical facilities.
§ 133-23 Variance procedure.
§ 133-24 When effective.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Oswego 6-27-1994 by L.L. No. 6-1994; amended in its entirety 4-22-2013 by L.L. No. 2-2013. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The Common Council of the City of Oswego finds that the potential and/or actual damages from flooding and erosion may be a problem to the residents of the City of Oswego and that such damages may include destruction or loss of private and public housing, damage to public facilities, both publicly and privately owned, and injury to and loss of human life. In order to minimize the threat of such damages and to achieve the purposes and objectives hereinafter set forth, this chapter is adopted.
The land in the floodplain within a community subject to a one-percent-or-greater chance of flooding in any given year. This area may be designated as Zone A, AE, AH, AO, A1 through A30, A99, V, VO, VE, or V1 through V30. It is also commonly referred to as the "base floodplain" or "one-hundred-year floodplain." For purposes of this chapter, the term "special flood hazard area (SFHA)" is synonymous in meaning with the phrase "area of special flood hazard."
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. The area is designated on a FIRM as Zone V1 through V30, VE, VO or V. The "coastal high-hazard area" shall also include areas on a FIRM within a Zone AE that is bounded by a line labeled "Limit of Moderate Wave Action."
Built, in the case of a building in Zones A1 through A30, AE, A, A99, AO, AH, B, C, X, or D, to have the top of the elevated floor, or in the case of a building in Zones V1 through 30, VE, or V, or area of moderate wave action to have the bottom of the lowest horizontal structure member of the elevated floor, elevated above the ground level by means of pilings, columns (posts and piers), or shear walls parallel to the flow of the water; and
In the case of Zones A1 through A30, AE, A, A99, AO, AH, B, C, X, or D, "elevated building" also includes a building elevated by means of fill or solid foundation perimeter walls with openings sufficient to facilitate the unimpeded movement of floodwaters.
In the case of Zones V1 through V30, VE, or V, "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 that meet the federal standards.
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 a designated height as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a Flood Insurance Study or by other agencies as provided in § 133-14B of this chapter.
The date of permit issuance for new construction and substantial improvements to existing structures, provided that the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition placement, or other improvement is within 180 days after the date of issuance. The actual start of construction means the first placement of permanent construction of a building (including a manufactured home) on a site, such as the pouring of a slab or footings, installation of pilings or construction of columns. Permanent construction does not include land preparation (such as clearing, excavation, grading, or filling), or the installation of streets or walkways, or excavation for a basement, footings, piers or foundations, or the erection of temporary forms, or the installation of accessory buildings such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main building. 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, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.
This chapter shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of the City of Oswego, Oswego County, New York.
The areas of special flood hazard for the City of Oswego, Community Number 360656, are identified and defined on the following documents prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency:
Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel Numbers: 36075C0257G, 36075C0258G, 36075C0259G, 36075C0270G, 36075C0276G, 36075C0278G, 36075C0286G, whose effective date is, June 18, 2013, and any subsequent revisions to these map panels that do not affect areas under our community's jurisdiction.
The above documents are hereby adopted and declared to be a part of this chapter. The Flood Insurance Study and/or maps are on file at: the Oswego City Engineer's Office, Third Floor, City Hall, 13 West Oneida Street, Oswego, New York 13126.
This chapter includes all revisions to the National Flood Insurance Program through October 27, 1997, and shall supersede all previous chapters adopted for the purpose of flood damage prevention.
No structure in an area of special flood hazard shall hereafter be constructed, located, extended, converted, or altered and no land shall be excavated or filled without full compliance with the terms of this chapter and any other applicable regulations. Any infraction of the provisions of this chapter by failure to comply with any of its requirements, including infractions of conditions and safeguards established in connection with conditions of the permit, shall constitute a violation. Any person who violates this chapter or fails to comply with any of its requirements shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined no more than $250 or imprisoned for not more than 15 days or both. Each day of noncompliance shall be considered a separate offense. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the City of Oswego from taking such other lawful action as necessary to prevent or remedy an infraction. Any structure found not compliant with the requirements of this chapter for which the developer and/or owner has not applied for and received an approved variance under § 133-23 will be declared noncompliant and notification sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The degree of flood protection required by this chapter is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on scientific and engineering considerations. Larger floods can and will occur on rare occasions. Flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural causes. This chapter does not imply that land outside the area of special flood hazards or uses permitted within such areas will be free from flooding or flood damages. This chapter shall not create liability on the part of the City of Oswego, any officer or employee thereof, or the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for any flood damages that result from reliance on this chapter or any administrative decision lawfully made thereunder.
The Oswego City Engineer is hereby appointed local administrator to administer and implement this chapter by granting or denying floodplain development permits in accordance with its provisions.
Purpose. A floodplain development permit is hereby established for all construction and other development to be undertaken in areas of special flood hazard in this community for the purpose of protecting its citizens from increased flood hazards and ensuring that new development is constructed in a manner that minimizes its exposure to flooding. It shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard, as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 133-6, without a valid floodplain development permit. Application for a permit shall be made on forms furnished by the local administrator and may include, but not be limited to: plans, in duplicate, drawn to scale and showing: the nature, location, dimensions, and elevations of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, fill, storage of materials, drainage facilities, and the location of the foregoing.
Fees. All applications for a floodplain development permit shall be accompanied by an application fee of $100. In addition, the applicant shall be responsible for reimbursing the City of Oswego for any additional costs necessary for review, inspection and approval of this project. The local administrator may require a deposit of no more than $500 to cover these additional costs.
The proposed elevation, in relation to mean sea level, of the bottom of the lowest structural member of the lowest floor (excluding pilings and columns) of any new or substantially improved structure to be located in Zones V1 through V30 or VE, or Zone V if base flood elevation data are available. Upon completion of the lowest floor, the permittee shall submit to the local administrator the as-built elevation, certified by a licensed professional engineer or surveyor.
A certificate from a licensed professional engineer or architect that any utility floodproofing will meet the criteria in § 133-16C, Utilities.
A certificate from a licensed professional engineer or architect that any nonresidential floodproofed structure will meet the floodproofing criteria in § 133-19, Nonresidential structures.
A description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development. Computations by a licensed professional engineer must be submitted that demonstrate that the altered or relocated segment will provide equal or greater conveyance than the original stream segment. The applicant must submit any maps, computations or other material required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to revise the documents enumerated in § 133-6, when notified by the local administrator, and must pay any fees or other costs assessed by FEMA for this purpose. The applicant must also provide assurances that the conveyance capacity of the altered or relocated stream segment will be maintained.
In Zones V1 through V30 and VE, and also Zone V if base flood elevation are available, or in an area of moderate wave action, designs and specifications, certified by a licensed professional engineer or architect, for any breakaway walls in a proposed structure with design strengths in excess of 20 pounds per square foot.
In Zones V1 through V30 and VE, and also Zone V if base flood elevation are available, or in an area of moderate wave action, for all new and substantial improvements to structures, floodplain development permit applications shall be accompanied by design plans and specifications, prepared in sufficient detail to enable independent review of the foundation support and connection components. Said plans and specifications shall be developed or reviewed by a licensed professional engineer or architect, and shall be accompanied by a statement, bearing the signature of the architect or engineer, certifying that the design and methods of construction to be used are in accordance with accepted standards of practice and with all applicable provisions of this chapter.
Review all applications for completeness, particularly with the requirements of § 133-13, Application for permit, and for compliance with the provisions and standards of this chapter.
Review subdivision and other proposed new development, including manufactured home parks to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding. If a proposed building site is located in an area of special flood hazard, all new construction and substantial improvements shall meet the applicable standards of §§ 133-15 through 133-22 and, in particular, § 133-15B, Subdivision proposals.
Determine whether any proposed development in an area of special flood hazard may result in physical damage to any other property (e.g., stream bank erosion and increased flood velocities). The local administrator may require the applicant to submit additional technical analyses and data necessary to complete the determination. If the proposed development may result in physical damage to any other property or fails to meet the requirements of §§ 133-15 through 133-22, no permit shall be issued. The applicant may revise the application to include measures that mitigate or eliminate the adverse effects and resubmit the application.
Determine that all necessary permits have been received from those governmental agencies from which approval is required by state or federal chapter.
When the Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated areas of special flood hazard on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) but has neither produced water surface elevation data (These areas are designated Zone A or V on the FIRM.) nor identified a floodway, the local administrator shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state or other source, including data developed pursuant to § 133-14H, as criteria for requiring that new construction, substantial improvements or other proposed development meet the requirements of this chapter.
In Zones A1 through A30, AE and AH, and also Zone A if base flood elevation data are available, upon placement of the lowest floor or completion of floodproofing of a new or substantially improved structure, obtain from the permit holder a certification of the as-built elevation of the lowest floor or floodproofed elevation, in relation to mean sea level. The certificate shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a licensed land surveyor or professional engineer and certified by same. For manufactured homes, the permit holder shall submit the certificate of elevation upon placement of the structure on the site. A certificate of elevation must also be submitted for a recreational vehicle if it remains on a site for 180 consecutive days or longer (unless it is fully licensed and ready for highway use).
In Zones V1 through V30 and VE, and also Zone V if base flood elevation data are available, or in an area of moderate wave action, upon placement of the lowest floor of a new or substantially improved structure, the permit holder shall submit to the local administrator a certificate of elevation, in relation to mean sea level, of the bottom of the lowest structural member of the lowest floor (excluding pilings and columns). The certificate shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a licensed land surveyor or professional engineer and certified by same. For manufactured homes, the permit holder shall submit the certificate of elevation upon placement of the structure on the site. An elevation certificate must also be submitted for a recreational vehicle if it remains on a site 180 consecutive days or longer (unless it is fully licensed and ready for highway use).
The local administrator shall issue, or cause to be issued, a stop-work order for any floodplain development found ongoing without a development permit. Disregard of a stop-work order shall subject the violator to the penalties described in § 133-9 of this chapter.
The local administrator shall issue, or cause to be issued, a stop-work order for any floodplain development found noncompliant with the provisions of this chapter and/or the conditions of the development permit. Disregard of a stop-work order shall subject the violator to the penalties described in § 133-9 of this chapter.
In areas of special flood hazard, as determined by documents enumerated in § 133-6, it shall be unlawful to occupy or to permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises, or both, or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure until a certificate of compliance has been issued by the local administrator stating that the building or land conforms to the requirements of this chapter.
Issuance of the certificate shall be based upon the inspections conducted as prescribed in § 133-14E, Inspections, and/or any certified elevations, hydraulic data, floodproofing, anchoring requirements or encroachment analyses which may have been required as a condition of the approved permit.
Certifications of as-built lowest floor elevations of structures, required pursuant to § 133-14D(1) and (2), and whether or not the structures contain a basement;
Floodproofing certificates required pursuant to § 133-14D(1), and whether or not the structures contain a basement;
Variances issued pursuant to § 133-23, Variance procedure; and
Notices required under § 133-14C, Alteration of watercourses.
The following standards apply to new development, including new and substantially improved structures, in the areas of special flood hazard shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map designated in § 133-6.
Coastal high-hazard areas. The following requirements apply within Zones V1 through V30, VE and V or in an area of moderate wave action:
The City of Oswego agrees to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a conditional FIRM revision, FEMA approval is received and the applicant provides all necessary data, analyses and mapping and reimburses the City of Oswego for all fees and other costs in relation to the application. The applicant must also provide all data, analyses and mapping and reimburse the City of Oswego for all costs related to the final map revision.
The City of Oswego agrees to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a conditional FIRM and floodway revision, FEMA approval is received and the applicant provides all necessary data, analyses and mapping and reimburses the City of Oswego for all fees and other costs in relation to the application. The applicant must also provide all data, analyses and mapping and reimburse the City of Oswego for all costs related to the final map revisions.
Within Zones V1 through V30 and VE, and also within Zone V if base flood elevation are available, or in an area of moderate wave action, new construction and substantial improvements shall have the space below the lowest floor either free from obstruction or constructed with nonsupporting breakaway walls, open wood latticework or insect screening intended to collapse under wind and water loads without causing collapse, displacement, or other structural damage to the elevated portion of the building or supporting foundation system. The enclosed space below the lowest floor shall be used only for parking vehicles, building access or storage. Use of this space for human habitation is expressly prohibited. The construction of stairs, stairwells and elevator shafts are subject to the design requirements for breakaway walls.
New and replacement electrical equipment, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, plumbing connections, and other service equipment shall be located at least two feet above the base flood elevation or be designed to prevent water from entering and accumulating within the components during a flood and to resist hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and stresses. Electrical wiring and outlets, switches, junction boxes and panels shall be elevated or designed to prevent water from entering and accumulating within the components unless they conform to the appropriate provisions of the electrical part of the Building Code of New York State or the Residential Code of New York State for location of such items in wet locations.
Elevation: The following standards apply to new and substantially improved residential structures located in areas of special flood hazard, in addition to the requirements in § 133-15B, Subdivision proposals, and C, Encroachments, and § 133-16, Standards for all structures.
Within Zone AO, new and substantially improved structures shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as two feet above the depth number specified in feet on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 133-6 (at least two feet if no depth number is specified).
The following standards, in addition to the standards in § 133-15A, Coastal high-hazard areas, and B, Subdivision proposals, and § 133-16, Standards for all structures, apply to new and substantially improved residential structures located in areas of special flood hazard shown as Zones V1 through V30, VE or V, or in an area of moderate wave action, on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Map designated in § 133-6.
The design ratio of pile spacing to pile diameter shall not be less than 8:1 for individual piles. (This shall not apply to pile clusters located below the design grade.) The maximum center-to-center spacing of wood piles shall not be more than 12 feet on center under load bearing sills, beams, or girders.
Beam-to-pile connections. The primary floor beams or girders shall span the supports in the direction parallel to the flow of potential floodwater and wave action and shall be fastened to the columns or pilings by bolting, with or without cover plates. Concrete members shall be connected by reinforcement, if cast in place, or (if precast) shall be securely connected by bolting and welding. If sills, beams, or girders are attached to wood piling at a notch, a minimum of two five-eights-inch galvanized steel bolts or two hot-dipped galvanized straps 3/16 inch by four inches by 18 inches each bolted with two one-half-inch lag bolts per beam member shall be used. Notching of pile tops shall be the minimum sufficient to provide ledge support for beam members without unduly weakening pile connections. Piling shall not be notched so that the cross section is reduced below 50%.
Wood two-inch-by-four-inch (minimum) connectors or metal joist anchors shall be used to tie floor joists to floor beams/girders. These should be installed on alternate floor joists, at a minimum. Cross bridging of all floor joists shall be provided. Such cross bridging may be one-inch-by-three-inch members, placed eight feet on-center maximum, or solid bridging of same depth as joist at same spacing.
Exterior wall connections. All bottom plates shall have any required breaks under a wall stud or an anchor bolt. Approved anchors will be used to secure rasters or joists and top and bottom plates to studs in exterior and bearing walls to form a continuous tie. Continuous fifteen-thirty-seconds-inch-or-thicker plywood sheathing-overlapping the top wall plate and continuing down to the sill, beam, or girder-may be used to provide the continuous tie. If the sheets of plywood are not vertically continuous, then two-by-four nailer blocking shall be provided at all horizontal joints. In lieu of the plywood, galvanized steel rods of one-half-inch diameter or galvanized steel straps not less than one-inch wide by one-sixteenth-inch thick may be used to connect from the top wall plate to the sill, beam, or girder. Washers with a minimum diameter of three inches shall be used at each end of the one-half-inch-round rods. These anchors shall be installed no more than two feet from each corner rod, no more than four feet on center.
Gable roofs shall be additionally stabilized by installing two-by-four-blocking on two-foot centers between the rafters at each gable end. Blocking shall be installed a minimum of eight feet toward the house interior from each gable end.
Use of breakaway wall strengths in excess of 20 pounds per square foot shall not be permitted unless a registered professional engineer or architect has developed or reviewed the structural design and specifications for the building foundation and breakaway wall components, and certifies that the breakaway walls will fail under water loads less than those that would occur during the base flood; and that the elevated portion of the building and supporting foundation system will not be subject to collapse, displacement, or other structural damage due to the effects of wind and water loads acting simultaneously on all building components (structural and nonstructural). Water-loading values used shall be those associated with the base flood. Wind-loading values shall be those required by the building code.
The following standards apply to new and substantially improved commercial, industrial and other nonresidential structures located in areas of special flood hazard, in addition to the requirements in § 133-15B, Subdivision proposals, and C, Encroachments, and § 133-16, Standards for all structures.
Together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be completely floodproofed to that level to meet the floodproofing standard specified in § 133-16C.
If the structure is to be floodproofed, a licensed professional engineer or architect shall develop and/or review structural design, specifications, and plans for construction. A floodproofing certificate or other certification shall be provided to the local administrator that certifies the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice for meeting the provisions of § 133-19A(1)(b), including the specific elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which the structure is to be floodproofed.
In Zones V1 through V30, VE and also Zone V if base flood elevations are available, or in an area of moderate wave action, new construction and substantial improvements of any nonresidential structure, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, shall have the bottom of lowest member of the lowest floor elevated to or above two feet above the base flood elevation. Floodproofing of structures is not an allowable alternative to elevating the lowest floor to two feet above the base flood elevation in Zones V1 through V30, VE and V.
The following standards in addition to the standards in § 133-15, General standards, and § 133-16, Standards for all structures, apply, as indicated, in areas of special flood hazard to manufactured homes and to recreational vehicles which are located in areas of special flood hazard.
Recreational vehicles placed on sites within Zones A1 through A30, AE, AH, V1 through V30, V, and VE shall either:
Meet the requirements for manufactured homes in § 133-21B, C and D.
A manufactured home that is placed or substantially improved in Zones A1 through A30, AE, AH, V1 through V30, V, and VE shall be elevated on a permanent foundation such that the lowest floor is elevated to or above two feet above the base flood elevation and is securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist flotation, collapse and lateral movement. Elevation on piers consisting of dry stacked blocks is prohibited.
Within Zone AO, the floor shall be elevated above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as the depth number specified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 133-6 (at least two feet if no depth number is specified). Elevation on piers consisting of dry stacked blocks is prohibited.
The Zoning Board of Appeals as established by the Common Council of City of Oswego shall hear and decide appeals and requests for variances from the requirements of this chapter.
Those aggrieved by the decision of the Zoning Board of Appeals may appeal such decision to the Supreme Court pursuant to Article 78 of the Civil Practice Chapter and Rules.
Upon consideration of the factors of § 133-23A(4) and the purposes of this chapter, the Zoning Board of Appeals may attach such conditions to the granting of variances as it deems necessary to further the purposes of this chapter.
Generally, variances may be issued for new construction and substantial improvements to be erected on a lot of 1/2 acre or less in size contiguous to and surrounded by lots with existing structures constructed below the base flood elevation, providing items in § 133-23A(4)(a) through (l) have been fully considered. As the lot size increases beyond the 1/2 acre, the technical justification required for issuing the variance increases.
Variances may be issued by the Zoning Board of Appeals for new construction and substantial improvements and for other development necessary for the conduct of a functionally dependent use provided that:
A determination that the granting of a variance will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, create nuisances, cause fraud on or victimization of the public or conflict with other existing chapters or ordinances.
Any applicant to whom a variance is granted for a building with the lowest floor below the base flood elevation shall be given written notice over the signature of the Local Administor that the cost of flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk resulting from lowest floor elevation.