Source: https://ecode360.com/6180178
Timestamp: 2020-01-29 01:14:56
Document Index: 5419301

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54']

Town of Fort Edward, NY Flood Damage Prevention
§ 54-1 Findings.
§ 54-2 Purpose.
§ 54-3 Objectives.
§ 54-4 Definitions.
§ 54-5 Applicability.
§ 54-6 Basis for establishing areas of special flood hazard.
§ 54-7 Interpretation; conflict with other provisions.
§ 54-8 Penalties for offenses.
§ 54-9 Warning and disclaimer of liability.
§ 54-10 Designation of local administrator.
§ 54-11 Development permit.
§ 54-12 Powers and duties of local administrator.
§ 54-13 General standards.
§ 54-14 Specific standards.
§ 54-15 Floodways.
§ 54-16 Appeals Board; variances.
Chapter 54 Flood Damage Prevention
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Fort Edward 8-10-87 as L.L. No. 2-1987. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Town Board of the Town of Fort Edward finds that the potential and/or actual damages from flooding and erosion may be a problem to the residents of the Town of Fort Edward 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.
A designated AO or VO Zone on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), with base flood depths from one (1) to three (3) feet, where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable and indeterminate and where velocity flow may be evident.
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 -99, V, VO, VE or V1 - 30. It is also commonly referred to as the "base floodplain" or "one-hundred-year floodplain."
The area subject to high-velocity waters, including but not limited to hurricane wave wash. The area is designated on a FIRM as Zone V1 - 30, VE, VO or V.
An official map of a community, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard have been defined but no water surface elevation is provided.
The top surface of an enclosed area in a building, including basement, i.e., the top of the slab in concrete slab construction or the top of wood flooring in wood frame construction.
The lowest level, including basement or cellar, of the lowest enclosed area. An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for the parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a basement 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 this chapter.
A structure, transportable in one (1) or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities. The term also includes park trailers, travel trailers and similar transportable structures placed on a site for one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days or longer and intended to be improved property.
At least fifty-one percent (51%) of the actual cash value of the structure, excluding land value, is above ground.
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 § 54-12B of this chapter.
The initiation, excluding planning and design, of any phase of a project or physical alteration of the property, and shall include land preparation, such as clearing, grading and filling; installation of streets and/or walkways; excavation for a basement, footings, piers or foundations; or the erection of temporary forms. It also includes the placement and/or installation on the property of accessory buildings (garages or sheds), storage trailers and building materials. For manufactured homes, the "actual start" means affixing the manufactured home to its permanent site.
Any repair, reconstruction or improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure either before the improvement or repair is started or, if the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred. For the purposes of this definition, "substantial improvement" is considered to commence when the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor or other structural part of the building commences, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the structure. The term does not, however, include either.
This chapter shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of the Town of Fort Edward.
The areas of special flood hazard identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a scientific and engineering report entitled the "Flood Insurance Study for the Town of Fort Edward, of Washington County, New York," dated June 15, 1982, with accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Boundary - Floodway Maps, are hereby adopted and declared to be a part of this chapter. The Flood Insurance Study and maps are on file at the Fort Edward Town Clerk's office, 118 Broadway, Fort Edward. New York. Flood Insurance Rate Map, Community-Panel Number 360885 00 10 A.
In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety and welfare. Whenever the requirements of this chapter are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations or ordinances, the most restrictive or that imposing the higher standards shall govern.
No structure 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 two hundred fifty dollars ($250.) or imprisoned for not more than fifteen (15) days, or both. Each day of noncompliance shall be considered a separate offense. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Town of Fort Edward 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 § 54-16 will be declared noncompliant, and notification will be 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 areas of special flood hazard 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 Town of Fort Edward, 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 Building Inspector is hereby appointed local administrator to administer and implement this chapter by granting or denying development permit applications in accordance with its provisions.
A development permit shall be obtained before the start of construction or any other development within the area of special flood hazard as established in § 54-6. Application for a development 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.
The elevation, in relation to mean sea level, of the proposed lowest floor, including basement or cellar, of all structures.
When required, a certificate from a licensed professional engineer or architect that the utility floodproofing will meet the criteria in § 54-13C(1).
A certificate from a licensed professional engineer or architect that the nonresidential floodproofed structure will meet the floodproofing criteria in § 54-14.
Construction stage. Upon placement of the lowest floor or floodproofing by whatever means, it shall be the duty of the permit holder to submit to the local administrator a certificate of the elevation of the lowest floor or floodproofed elevation in relation to mean sea level. The elevation certificate shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a licensed land surveyor or professional engineer and certified by the same. When floodproofing is utilized for a particular building, the floodproofing certificate shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a licensed professional engineer or architect and certified by the same. Any further work undertaken prior to submission and approval of the certification shall be at the permit holder's risk. The local administrator shall review all data submitted. Deficiencies detected shall be cause to issue a stop-work order for the project unless immediately corrected.
Review all development permits for compliance with the provisions of § 54-13E, Encroachments.
Use of other base flood and floodway data. When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with § 54-6, Basis for establishing areas of special flood hazard, 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 § 54-13D(4), in order to administer § 54-14, Specific standards, and § 54-15, Floodways.
Maintain the floodproofing certifications required in §§ 54-13 and 54-14.
Base flood elevation data established pursuant to § 54-6 and/or Subsection B, when available, shall be used to accurately delineate the areas of special flood hazard.
All floodplain development found ongoing without an approved permit shall be subject to the issuance of a stop-work order by the local administrator. Disregard of a stop-work order shall be subject to the penalties described in § 54-8 of this chapter.
All floodplain development found noncompliant with the provisions of this chapter and/or the conditions of the approved permit shall be subject to the issuance of a stop-work order by the local administrator. Disregard of a stop-work order shall be subject to the penalties described in § 54-8 of this chapter.
All certifications shall be based upon the inspections conducted subject to Subsection G and/or any certified elevations, hydraulic information, floodproofing, anchoring requirements or encroachment analysis which may have been required as a condition of the approved permit.
All manufactured homes shall be installed using methods and practices which minimize flood damage. Manufactured homes must be elevated and anchored to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement. Manufactured homes shall be elevated to or above the base flood elevation or two (2) feet above the highest adjacent grade when no base flood elevation has been determined. Methods of anchoring may include but are not to be limited to use of over-the-top or frame ties to ground anchors. This requirement is in addition to applicable state and local anchoring requirements for resisting wind forces.
Base flood elevation data shall be provided for subdivision proposals and other proposed developments (including proposals for manufactured home parks and subdivisions) greater than either fifty (50) lots or five (5) acres.
All proposed development in riverine situations where no flood elevation data is available (unnumbered A Zones) shall be analyzed to determine the effects on the flood-carrying capacity of the areas of special flood hazard set forth in § 54-12A(3). This may require the submission of additional technical data to assist in the determination.
In all areas of special flood hazard in which base flood elevation data is available pursuant to § 54-12B or Subsection D(4) and no floodway has been determined, the cumulative effects of any proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, shall not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one (1) foot at any point.
In all areas of special flood hazard where floodway data is provided or available pursuant to § 54-12B, the requirements of § 54-15, Floodways, shall apply.
In all areas of special flood hazard where base flood elevation data has been provided as set forth in § 54-6, Basis for establishing areas of special flood hazard, and § 54-12B, Use of other base flood and floodway data, the following standards are required:
Have fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are subject to flooding designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters. Designs for meeting this requirement must either be certified by a licensed professional engineer or architect or meet or exceed the following minimum criteria
A minimum of two (2) openings having a total net area of not less than one (1) square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding shall be provided.
The bottom of all such openings shall be no higher than one (1) foot above the lowest adjacent finished grade.
A licensed professional engineer or architect shall develop and/or review structural design, specifications and plans for the construction and shall certify that the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice to make the structure watertight, with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water, with structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and the effects of buoyancy; and
Construction standards for areas of special flood hazard without base flood elevations. New construction or substantial improvements of structures, including manufactured homes, shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to or above the base flood elevation as may be determined in § 54-12B or two (2) feet above the highest adjacent grade where no elevation data is available.
New construction or substantial improvements of structures, including manufactured homes, shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated at least two (2) feet above the highest adjacent grade next to the proposed foundation of the structure.
Located within areas of special flood hazard are areas designated as "floodways" (See definition, § 54-4.) The floodway is an extremely hazardous area due to high-velocity floodwaters carrying debris and posing additional threats from potential erosion forces. When floodway data is available for a particular site as provided by §§ 54-6 and 54-12B, all encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements and other development, are prohibited within the limits of the floodway unless a technical evaluation demonstrates that such encroachments shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
The Zoning Board of Appeals as established by the Town of Fort Edward shall hear and decide appeals and requests for variances from the requirements of this chapter.
Upon consideration of the factors of Subsection A(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 one-half (1/2) acre or less in size contiguous to and surrounded by lots with existing structures constructed below the base flood level, provided that the items in Subsection A(4)(a) through (l) have been fully considered. As the lot size increases beyond the one-half (1/2) acre, the technical justification required for issuing the variance increases.
Variances may be issued for the reconstruction, rehabilitation or restoration of structures and contributing structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places or the State Inventory of Historic Places without regard to the contributing structures procedures set forth in the remainder of this section.
The criteria of Subsection B(1), (4), (5) and (6) of this section are met.
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 that the cost of flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk resulting from the lowest floor elevation.