Source: https://ecode360.com/32712337
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 18:21:11
Document Index: 365238362

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', 'art 1', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 10908', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8']

Township of Honey Brook, PA Floodplain Management
Township of Honey Brook, PA
Ch 8 Pt 1 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
§ 8-101 Statutory Authorization.
§ 8-102 General Provisions.
§ 8-103 Administration.
§ 8-104 Identification of Floodplain Areas.
§ 8-105 Technical Provisions.
§ 8-106 Prohibited Activities.
§ 8-107 Existing Structures in Identified Floodplain Areas.
§ 8-108 Variances.
§ 8-109 Definitions.
Ch 14 Manufactured Homes and Manufactured Home Parks
Ch 16 Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Recycling
Chapter 8 Floodplain Management
Part 1 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS
[Ord. 190-2017, 9/13/2017]
The Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has, by the passage of the Pennsylvania Flood Plain Management Act of 1978,[1] delegated the responsibility to local governmental units to adopt floodplain management regulations to promote public health, safety, and the general welfare of its citizenry. Therefore, the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Honey Brook does hereby order as follows.
Applicability. It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, any construction or development anywhere within the identified floodplain area of the Township of Honey Brook unless a permit has been obtained from the floodplain administrator.
Severability. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Part shall be declared invalid for any reason whatsoever, such a decision shall not affect the remaining portions of this Part, which shall remain in full force and effect and, for this purpose, the provisions of this Part are hereby declared to be severable.
This Part shall not create liability on the part of the Township of Honey Brook or any officer or employee thereof for any flood damages that result from reliance on this Part or any administrative decision lawfully made thereunder.
The Township Zoning Officer is hereby appointed to administer and enforce this Part and is referred to herein as the "floodplain administrator." The Floodplain Administrator may:
Permits Required. A building permit ("permit") shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within the identified floodplain area of the Township of Honey Brook.
In the case of existing structures, prior to the issuance of any permit, the Floodplain Administrator shall review the proposed cost of improvements or repairs and the pre-improvement market value of the structure so that a substantial improvement/substantial damage determination can be made, in accordance with FEMA's Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage Desk Reference.
In the case of existing structures, prior to the issuance of any permit, the Floodplain Administrator shall review the history of repairs to the subject building so that any cumulative substantial damage concerns can be addressed before the permit is issued.
In the discharge of his/her duties, the Floodplain Administrator shall have the authority to enter any building, structure, premises or development in the identified floodplain area to enforce the provisions of this Part, either upon presentation of proper credentials and consent of the property owner to such entry, or with a properly obtained search warrant.
The Floodplain Administrator shall maintain in perpetuity, or for the lifetime of the structure, all records associated with the requirements of this Part, including, but not limited to, finished construction elevation data, permitting, inspection and enforcement.
The responsibility, authority and means to implement the commitments of the Floodplain Administrator can be delegated from the person identified. However, the ultimate responsibility lies with the person identified in this Part as the Floodplain Administrator.
The Floodplain Administrator shall consider the requirements of 34 Pa. Code and the 2009 IBC and the 2009 IRC, or the latest revision thereof, as adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Application for such a permit shall be made, in writing, to the Floodplain Administrator on forms supplied by the Township of Honey Brook. Such application shall contain the following:
Electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, and air-conditioning equipment, and other service facilities, have been designed and located to prevent water entry or accumulation.
The location of all existing streets, drives and other accessways; and
Supplemental information as may be necessary under 34 Pa. Code, the 2009 IBC or the 2009 IRC, or the latest revision thereof, as adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Documentation, certified by a registered professional engineer or architect, to show that the cumulative effect of any proposed development within any identified floodplain area (see § 8-104, Subsection 1), when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not cause any increase in the base flood elevation.
Detailed information needed to determine compliance with § 8-105, Subsection 3F, Storage, and § 8-105, Subsection 4, Development Which May Endanger Human Life, including:
The amount, location and purpose of any materials or substances referred to in § 8-105 Subsection 3F, and § 8-105 Subsection 4, which are intended to be used, produced, stored or otherwise maintained on site.
A description of the safeguards incorporated into the design of the proposed structure to prevent leaks or spills of the dangerous materials or substances listed in Section § 8-105, Subsection 4, during a base flood.
Applications for permits shall be accompanied by a fee, payable to the municipality, and based upon the fee schedule of Honey Brook Township, as may be amended from time to time by the Board of Supervisors.
Changes. After the issuance of a permit by the Floodplain Administrator, no changes of any kind shall be made to the application, permit or any of the plans, specifications or other documents submitted with the application without the written consent or approval of the Floodplain Administrator. Requests for any such change shall be in writing and shall be submitted by the applicant to the Floodplain Administrator for consideration.
Work on the proposed construction or development shall begin within 180 days after the date of issuance of the permit. Work shall also be completed within 12 months after the date of issuance of the permit or the permit shall expire unless a time extension is granted, in writing, by the Floodplain Administrator. The issuance of a permit does not refer to the zoning approval.
The "actual start of construction" means either the first placement of permanent construction of a structure on a site, such as the pouring of a 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 a 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, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.
Time extensions shall be granted only if a written request is submitted by the applicant, who sets forth sufficient and reasonable cause for the Floodplain Administrator to approve such a request and the original permit is compliant with this Part and the FIRM/FIS in effect at the time the extension is granted.
Notices. Whenever the Floodplain Administrator or other authorized municipal representative determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there has been a violation of any provisions of this Part, or of any regulations adopted pursuant thereto, the Floodplain Administrator shall give notice of such alleged violation as hereinafter provided. Such notice shall:
Contain an outline of remedial actions which, if taken, will effect compliance with the provisions of this Part.
Penalties. Any person who fails to comply with any or all of the requirements or provisions of this Part or who fails or refuses to comply with any notice, order or direction of the Floodplain Administrator or any other authorized employee of Honey Brook Township shall be guilty of a summary offense and upon conviction shall pay a fine to the Township of Honey Brook of not less than $25, nor more than $600, plus costs of prosecution. In default of such payment, such person shall be imprisoned in Chester County Prison for a period not to exceed 10 days. Each day during which any violation of this Part continues shall constitute a separate offense. In addition to the above penalties, all other actions are hereby reserved, including an action in equity for the proper enforcement of this Part. The imposition of a fine or penalty for any violation of, or noncompliance with, this Part shall not excuse the violation or noncompliance or permit it to continue and all such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations and noncompliance within a reasonable time. Any development initiated or any structure or building constructed, reconstructed, enlarged, altered, or relocated in noncompliance with this Part may be declared by the Board of Supervisors to be a public nuisance and abatable as such.
Any person aggrieved by any action or decision of the Floodplain Administrator concerning the administration of the provisions of this Part may appeal to the Township of Honey Brook Zoning Hearing Board. Such appeal must be filed, in writing, within 30 days after the decision, determination or action of the Floodplain Administrator. A fee shall be required to be submitted with an appeal, payable to the Township of Honey Brook and based upon the Township's fee schedule as adopted and periodically amended by the Board of Supervisors.
Upon receipt of such appeal, the Zoning Hearing Board shall set a time and place, within not less than 10 or not more than 30 days, for the purpose of conducting a hearing to consider the appeal. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Section 908 of the Municipalities Planning Code.[4] The requirements of that section, including, but not limited to, notice and posting provisions and the preparation of a stenographic record, shall be required for such hearing. Notice of the time and place at which the appeal will be considered shall be given to all parties.
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 10908.
Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Zoning Hearing Board may seek relief therefrom by appeal to court, as provided by the laws of this Commonwealth, including the Pennsylvania Flood Plain Management Act.[5]
Any areas of Township of Honey Brook, classified as special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) in the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), dated September 29, 2017, and issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), or the most-recent revision thereof, including all digital data developed as part of the Flood Insurance Study; and
The above-referenced FIS and FIRMs, and any subsequent revisions and amendments, are hereby adopted by the Township of Honey Brook and declared to be a part of this Part.
Within any floodway area, no encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, or other development shall be permitted. No variance shall be granted.
No encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, or other development shall be permitted in an AE Zone without floodway, unless it has been demonstrated through hydrologic and hydraulic analysis performed in accordance with standard engineering practice that the proposed development, together with all other existing and anticipated development, would not result in an increase in flood levels within the entire community during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
In lieu of the above, the municipality may require the applicant to determine the elevation with hydrologic and hydraulic engineering techniques. Hydrologic and hydraulic analyses shall be undertaken only by professional engineers or others of demonstrated qualifications, who shall certify that the technical methods used correctly reflect currently accepted technical concepts. Studies, analyses, computations, etc., shall be submitted in sufficient detail to allow a thorough technical review by the municipality. In the absence of any of the above data or documentation, the community may require elevation of the lowest floor to be at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade.
The AO and AH Area/District shall be those areas identified as Zones AO and AH on the FIRM and in the FIS. These areas are subject to inundation by a one-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding where average depths are between one and three feet. In Zones AO and AH, drainage paths shall be established to guide floodwaters around and away from structures on slopes.
Community-identified flood hazard areas shall be those areas where the Township of Honey Brook has identified local flood hazard or ponding areas, as delineated and adopted on a "Local Flood Hazard Map" using best available topographic data and locally derived information such as flood of record, historic high-water marks, soils or approximate study methodologies. Community identified flood hazard areas include:
Any water or drainage course or body of water, and the lowlands adjoining, which may be subject to periodic flooding or overflow. These areas shall include all lands designated by the following soil map symbols and mapping unit names for Chester County as designated by the United States NRCS Soil Survey: Ba/BaB/BbB-Baile silt loam, CpA/CpB/CqB-Cokesbury silt loam, Ha-Hatboro silt loam, Th-Thorndale silt loam, ToA/ToB/TxB-Towhee silt loam, WaA-Watchung silt loam.
All areas which have flooded within the last 100 years as recorded or indicated by written or other objective records, such as the United States Army Corps of Engineers Survey. Where this information differs from that derived through the methods in § 8-104, Subsection 1A or 2E(1) above, the delineation covering the broadest flood hazard area shall prevail.
All areas which, by hydrological stream profile analysis conducted by a registered professional engineer qualified in hydrology, are calculated to be inundated during a nominal one-hundred-year frequency flood. If such profile analysis defines a floodplain area which conflicts with the definition contained in any portion of this section, the area defined by the stream profile analysis shall supersede. Such analysis shall be required prior to the approval of any subdivision or land development plan or the issuance of any permit if, after consultation with the Township Zoning Officer, Township Planning Commission, Township Engineer, and United States Natural Resources Conservation Service as applicable, the Board of Supervisors has reason to believe that the applicant's property, or a portion thereof, is in such close proximity to a flood hazard area as to be subject to inundation by a one-hundred-year frequency flood. If the analysis demonstrates that the property or a portion thereof will not be subject to such inundation, such permits as are required shall be considered for approval, but shall not be issued unless and until the applicant has complied with all other applicable provisions of this section and with all other applicable ordinances and regulations.
Changes in Identification of Area. The identified floodplain area may be revised or modified by the Board of Supervisors where studies or information provided by a qualified agency or person documents the need for such revision. However, prior to any such change to the special flood hazard area, approval must be obtained from FEMA. Additionally, as soon as practicable, but not later than six months after the date such information becomes available, a community shall notify FEMA of the changes to the special flood hazard area by submitting technical or scientific data. See § 8-105, Subsection 1B, for situations where FEMA notification is required.
Boundary Disputes. Should a dispute arise concerning the interpretation of the location of any identified floodplain boundary line on a specific property, an initial determination shall be made by the Township Floodplain Administrator and any party aggrieved by this decision or determination may appeal to the Township Zoning Hearing Board. The burden of proof shall be on the appellant.
Jurisdictional Boundary Changes. Prior to development occurring in areas where annexation or other municipal/corporate boundary changes are proposed or have occurred, the community shall review flood hazard data affecting the lands subject to boundary changes. The community shall adopt and enforce floodplain regulations in areas subject to annexation or municipal/corporate boundary changes which meet or exceed those in 44 CFR 60.3.
No encroachment, alteration, or improvement of any kind shall be made to any watercourse until all adjacent municipalities which may be affected by such action have been notified by the municipality and until all required permits or approvals have first been obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection's regional office.
When Township of Honey Brook proposes to permit the following encroachments: any development that causes a rise in the base flood elevations within the floodway; or any development occurring in Zones A1-30 and Zone AE without a designated floodway, which will cause a rise of more than one foot in the base flood elevation; or alteration or relocation of a stream (including, but not limited to, installing culverts and bridges), the applicant shall (as per 44 CFR 65.12):
Upon receipt of the FEMA Administrator's conditional approval of the map change and prior to approving the proposed encroachments, a community shall provide evidence to FEMA of the adoption of floodplain management ordinances incorporating the increased base flood elevations and/or revised floodway reflecting the post-project condition.
Elevation and Floodproofing Requirements. Within any identified floodplain area, any new construction or substantial improvements shall be prohibited. Where Township zoning, Chapter 27, permits certain uses or structures within the identified floodplain area, a variance under this Part shall still be required prior to issuance of a permit. If a variance is obtained for new construction or substantial improvements in the identified floodplain area in accordance with the criteria in § 8-108, then the following provisions apply:
In AE, A1-30, and AH Zones, any new construction or substantial improvement shall have the lowest floor (including the basement) elevated up to, or above, the regulatory flood elevation.
In A Zones, where there are no base flood elevations specified on the FIRM, any new construction or substantial improvement shall have the lowest floor (including the basement) elevated up to, or above, the regulatory flood elevation determined in accordance with § 8-104, Subsection 2C, of this Part.
In AO Zones, any new construction or substantial improvement shall have the lowest floor (including the basement) at or above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as the depth number specified on the FIRM.
The design and construction standards and specifications contained in the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) and in the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC), or the latest edition thereof adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and ASCE 24 and 34 Pa. Code (Chapters 401-405, as amended) shall be utilized, where they are more restrictive.
In AE, A1-30 and AH Zones, any new construction or substantial improvement of a nonresidential structure shall have the lowest floor (including the basement) elevated up to, or above, the regulatory flood elevation or be designed and constructed so that the space enclosed below the regulatory flood elevation:
In A Zones, where no base flood elevations are specified on the FIRM, any new construction or substantial improvement shall have the lowest floor (including the basement) elevated or completely floodproofed up to, or above, the regulatory flood elevation determined in accordance with § 8-104, Subsection 2C, of this Part.
Any nonresidential structure, or part thereof, made watertight below the regulatory flood elevation shall be floodproofed in accordance with the W1 or W2 space classification standards contained in the publication entitled "Flood-Proofing Regulations" published by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (June 1972, as amended March 1992) or with some other equivalent standard. All plans and specifications for such floodproofing shall be accompanied by a statement certified by a registered professional engineer which states that the proposed design and methods of construction are in conformance with the above-referenced standards. There should be a statement submitted with the permit application and a statement submitted with the as-built floodproofing certificate prior to the issuance of the certificate of occupancy.
An inspection and maintenance plan detailing the annual maintenance of floodproofed components, ensuring that all components will operate properly under flood conditions. Components that must be inspected include, at a minimum:
The design and construction standards and specifications contained in the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) and in the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC), or the latest revision thereof as adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and ASCE 24 and 34 Pa. Code (Chapters 401-405, as amended) shall be utilized, where they are more restrictive.
Historic Structures. The Zoning Hearing Board, through the granting of a variance, shall have the right to modify or waive any of the requirements of this section for any historic structure. Historic structures undergoing repair or rehabilitation that would constitute a substantial improvement as defined in this Part must comply with all ordinance requirements that do not preclude the structure's continued designation as an historic structure. Documentation that a specific ordinance requirement will cause removal of the structure from the National Register of Historic Places or the State Inventory of Historic Places must be obtained from the Secretary of the Interior or the State Historic Preservation Officer. The Board may seek the opinion and guidance of persons or entities with historical expertise regarding the appropriateness of the proposed activity in relation to the quality and integrity of the historic structure and the degree to which the requested modification or waiver will be essential in preserving the structure. The Zoning Hearing Board shall weigh the preservation benefits of the proposed activity against its potential impact on flood heights and velocities and the flood hazards attendant to the structure itself. Any exemption from ordinance requirements will be the minimum necessary to preserve the historic character and design of the structure.
Fill. Within any identified floodplain area, the use of fill shall be prohibited. If a variance is obtained in accordance with the criteria in § 8-108, then the following provisions apply:
Be no steeper than one vertical foot to two horizontal feet unless substantiated data justifying steeper slopes are submitted to, and approved by, the Floodplain Administrator; and
The design and construction provisions of the UCC and FEMA No. 348, "Protecting Building Utilities From Flood Damages" and "The International Private Sewage Disposal Code" shall be utilized.
Storage. All materials that are buoyant, flammable, explosive, or, in times of flooding, could be injurious to human, animal, or plant life, and not listed in § 8-105, Subsection 4, Development Which May Endanger Human Life, shall be stored at or above the regulatory flood elevation or floodproofed to the maximum extent possible.
Water heaters, furnaces, air-conditioning and ventilating units, and other electrical, mechanical or utility equipment or apparatus shall not be located below the regulatory flood elevation and shall be anchored to resist flotation, collapse, and lateral movement.
Uniform Construction Code Coordination. The Standards and specifications contained in 34 Pa. Code (Chapters 401-405), as amended, and not limited to the following provisions, shall apply to the above and other sections and subsections of this Part, to the extent that they are more restrictive and supplement the requirements of this Part.
International Building Code (IBC) 2009, or the latest revision thereof as adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Sections 801, 1202, 1403, 1603, 1605, 1612, 3402, and Appendix G.
International Residential Building Code (IRC) 2009, or the latest revision thereof as adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Sections R104, R105, R109, R322, Appendix E, and Appendix J.
Development Which May Endanger Human Life. Within any identified floodplain area, any structure of the kind described in Subsection A, below, shall be prohibited. No variance shall be granted.
In accordance with the Pennsylvania Flood Plain Management Act,[1] and the regulations adopted by the Department of Community and Economic Development as required by the Act, any new or substantially improved structure which: will be used for the production or storage of any of the following dangerous materials or substances; or will be used for any activity requiring the maintenance of a supply of any of the following dangerous materials or substances on the premises; or will involve the production, storage, or use of any amount of radioactive substances; shall be prohibited. The following list of materials and substances are considered dangerous to human life:
Any other materials or substances deemed hazardous by the Township or appropriate state or federal agency.
Special Requirements for Subdivisions and Land Development. All subdivision proposals and land development proposals in identified floodplain areas where base flood elevation data are not available shall be supported by hydrologic and hydraulic engineering analyses that determine base flood elevations and floodway information. The analyses shall be prepared by a licensed professional engineer in a format required by FEMA for a conditional letter of map revision (CLOMR) and letter of map revision (LOMR). Submittal requirements and processing fees shall be the responsibility of the applicant.
Within any identified floodplain area, new installations of manufactured homes shall be prohibited.
If an existing manufactured/mobile home is replaced with another, within any identified floodplain area, the replacement, shall be:
Water heaters, furnaces, air-conditioning and ventilating units, and other electrical, mechanical or utility equipment or apparatus shall not be located below the regulatory flood elevation and shall be anchored to resist flotation, collapse, and lateral improvement.
Installation of manufactured homes shall be done in accordance with the manufacturers' installation instructions as provided by the manufacturer. Where the applicant cannot provide the above information, the requirements of Appendix E of the 2009 "International Residential Building Code" or the "United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's" Permanent Foundations for Manufactured Housing," 1984 Edition, draft or latest revision thereto and 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401-405 shall apply.
Consideration shall be given to the installation requirements of the 2009 IBC and the 2009 IRC, or the latest revision thereto as adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and 34 Pa. Code, as amended, where appropriate and/or applicable to units where the manufacturers' standards for anchoring cannot be provided or were not established for the proposed unit's(s') installation.
Special Requirements for Recreational Vehicles. Within any identified floodplain area, recreational vehicles shall be prohibited. If a variance is obtained in accordance with the criteria in § 8-108, then the following provisions apply:
Recreational vehicles in Zones A, A1-30, AH and AE must:
Existing Structures. The provisions of this Part do not require any changes or improvements to be made to lawfully existing structures. However, when an improvement is made to any existing structure, the provisions of § 8-107, Subsection 2, shall apply.
No expansion or enlargement of an existing structure shall be allowed within an AE Area/District without floodway that would, together with all other existing and anticipated development, increase the BFE at any point.
No expansion or enlargement of an existing structure shall be allowed within an A Area/District that would, together with all other existing and anticipated development, increase the BFE at any point.
Any modification, alteration, reconstruction, or improvement of any kind to an existing structure to an extent or amount of 50% or more of its market value, shall constitute a substantial improvement and shall be undertaken only in full compliance with the provisions of this Part.
The applicant shall have the responsibility of determining the percent of damage or destruction and the fair market value of the damaged or destroyed structure at the time of its damage or destruction. The Floodplain Administrator shall review this information, and may call upon experts or authorities as he may deem necessary to assist in determining a fair and impartial determination. Such costs accrued in this determination shall be paid by the applicant.
The above activity shall also address the requirements of the 34 Pa. Code, as amended and the 2009 IBC and the 2009 IRC, or most-recent revision thereof as adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Within any Floodway Area/District (see § 8-104, Subsection 2A), no new construction or development shall be allowed.
Within any AE Area/District without floodway (see § 8-104, Subsection 2B), no new construction or development shall be located within the area measured 50 feet landward from the top-of-bank of any watercourse, unless the appropriate permit is obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection's regional office.
Any modification, alteration, reconstruction, or improvement of any kind that meets the definition of "cumulative substantial damage" shall be undertaken only in full compliance with the provisions of this Part.
General. If compliance with any of the requirements of this Part would result in an exceptional hardship to a prospective builder, developer or landowner, the Township of Honey Brook Zoning Hearing Board may, upon request, grant relief from the strict application of the requirements.
Variance Procedures and Conditions.
Requests for variances shall be considered by the Township of Honey Brook Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with the procedures contained in § 8-103, Subsection 10, and the following:
No variance shall be granted within any identified floodplain area that would cause any increase in BFE. In an A Area/District, BFEs are determined using the methodology in § 8-104, Subsection 2C.
No variance shall be granted for prohibited activities (§ 8-106) or to development which may endanger human life (§ 8-105, Subsection 4).
In granting any variance, the Township of Honey Brook Zoning Hearing Board shall attach whatever reasonable conditions and safeguards it considers necessary in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and to achieve the objectives of this Part.
Whenever a variance is granted, the Township of Honey Brook Zoning Hearing Board shall notify the applicant, in writing, that:
In reviewing any request for a variance, the Township of Honey Brook Zoning Hearing Board shall consider, at a minimum, the following:
A complete record of all variance requests and related actions shall be maintained by the Township of Honey Brook Zoning Hearing Board. In addition, a report of all variances granted during the year shall be included in the annual report to FEMA.
General. Unless specifically defined below, words and phrases used in this Part shall be interpreted so as to give this Part its most reasonable application.
Specific Definitions. As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
A flood which has a one-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (also called the "one-hundred-year flood" or the "one-percent-annual-chance flood").
CUMULATIVE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE
Flood-related damages sustained by a structure on two or more separate occasions during a ten-year period for which the cost of repairs at the time of each such flood event, on average, equals or exceeds 25% of the market value of the structure before the damages occurred.
A relatively flat or low-land area which is subject to partial or complete inundation from an adjoining or nearby stream, river or watercourse; and/or any area subject to the unusual and rapid accumulation of surface waters from any source.
An umbrella term that includes all of the areas within which the community has selected to enforce floodplain regulations. It will always include the area identified as the special flood hazard area on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Insurance Study, but may include additional areas identified by the community. See § 8-104, Subsections 1 and 2, for the specifics on what areas the community has included in the identified floodplain area.
The lowest floor of the lowest fully enclosed area (including the basement). An unfinished, flood-resistant, partially enclosed area used solely for parking of vehicles, building access, and incidental storage, in an area other than a basement area is not considered the lowest floor of a building, provided that such space is not designed and built so that the structure is in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirements of this Part.
Structures for which the start of construction commenced on or after September 29, 2017, and includes any subsequent improvements to such structures. Any construction started after August 1, 1984, and before September 29, 2017, is subject to the ordinance in effect at the time the permit was issued, provided the start of construction was within 180 days of permit issuance.
An individual, partnership, public or private association or corporation, firm, trust, estate, municipality, governmental unit, public utility or any other legal entity whatsoever, which is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties. When used in a penalty provision, "person" shall include the members of such partnership, the officers of such organization, association or corporation, and the trustees of such trust.
A structure for which construction or substantial improvement occurred after December 31, 1974, or on or after the community's initial Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) dated August 1, 1984, whichever is later, and, as such, would be required to be compliant with the regulations of the National Flood Insurance Program.
A structure for which construction or substantial improvement occurred on or before December 31, 1974, or before the community's initial Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) dated August 1, 1984, whichever is later, and, as such, would not be required to be compliant with the regulations of the National Flood Insurance Program.
The division or redivision of a lot, tract, or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land, including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, partition by the court for distribution to heirs or devisees, transfer of ownership or building or lot development; provided, however, that the subdivision by lease of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than 10 acres, not involving any new street or easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be exempted.
Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, of which the cost 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" or "cumulative substantial damage" regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include 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.