Source: https://ecode360.com/26875104
Timestamp: 2017-10-17 18:23:02
Document Index: 747621926

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121', '§ 121']

Town of Oyster Bay, NY Flood Damage Prevention
§ 121-1 Findings.
§ 121-2 Statement of purpose.
§ 121-3 Objectives.
§ 121-5 Applicability.
§ 121-6 Basis for establishing areas of special hazard.
§ 121-7 Interpretation and conflict with other laws.
§ 121-8 Severability.
§ 121-10 Warning and disclaimer of liability.
§ 121-11 Designation of local administrator.
§ 121-12 Floodplain development permit.
§ 121-13 Application for permit.
§ 121-14 Duties and responsibilities of local administrator.
§ 121-15 General construction standards.
§ 121-16 Construction standards for all structures.
§ 121-17 Construction standards for residential structures outside coastal high-hazard areas; elevation.
§ 121-18 Construction standards for residential structures within coastal high-hazard areas.
§ 121-19 Construction standards for nonresidential structures outside coastal high-hazard areas.
§ 121-20 Construction standards for nonresidential structures within coastal high-hazard areas.
§ 121-21 Standards for manufactured homes and recreational vehicles.
§ 121-22 Variance procedure.
§ 121-23 Conditions for variances.
§ 121-24 When effective.
Chapter 121: Flood Damage Prevention
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Oyster Bay 6-30-2009 by L.L. No. 6-2009.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
Editor's Note: This local law also superseded former Ch. 121, Flood Damage Prevention, adopted 7-25-1978 as amended.
Chapter 121 : Flood Damage Prevention
The Town Board of the Town of Oyster Bay finds that the potential and/or actual damages from flooding and erosion may be a problem to the residents of the Town of Oyster Bay and that such damages may include: destruction or loss of private and public housing, damage to 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 hereby adopted.
Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers which are involved in the accumulation of floodwaters;
Ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume the responsibility for their actions.
A designated AO, AH or VO Zone on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) with a 1% or greater annual chance of flooding to an average depth of one to three feet where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable and where velocity flow may be evident. Such flow is characterized by ponding or sheet flow.
The land in the floodplain within a community subject to a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year. This area may be designated Zone A, AE, AH, AO, A1-30, A99, V, VO, VE or V1-V30. It is also commonly referred to as the "base floodplain" or "one-hundred-year floodplain." For the purposes of this chapter, the term "special flood hazard area (SFHA)" is synonymous in meaning with the phrase "area of special flood hazard."
An enclosed area beneath the lowest elevated floor, 18 inches or more in height, which is used to service the underside of the lowest elevated floor. The elevation of the floor of this enclosed area, which may be soil, gravel, concrete or other material, must be equal to or above the lowest adjacent exterior grade. The enclosed crawl space area shall be properly vented to allow for the equalization of hydrostatic forces which would be experienced during periods of flooding.
A nonbasement building built, in the case of a building in Zone A1-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 Zone V1-V30, VE, or V, to have the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural 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 adequately anchored so as not to impair the integrity of the building during a flood up to the magnitude of the base flood. In the case of Zone A1-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 Zone V1-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 federal standards.
A manufactured home park or subdivision for which the construction of facilities for the servicing of lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed (including, at a minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either the final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads) is complete before the effective date of the floodplain regulations adopted by the community.
The preparation of additional sites by the construction of additional facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed (including the installation of utilities, the construction of streets, and either the final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads).
A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from the overflow of inland or tidal waters and/or the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source. "Flood" or "flooding" also means 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 a flash flood, or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some similarly unusual or unforeseeable event which results in flooding as defined above.
A use which cannot perform its intended purpose unless it is located or carried out in close proximity to water, such as a docking or port facility necessary for the loading or unloading of cargo and passengers, shipbuilding and ship repair facilities. The term does not include long-term storage, manufacturing, sales or service facilities.
Listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places (a listing maintained by the United States Department of the Interior) or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the individual 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 with historic preservation programs which have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior;
Identified and designated as a landmark pursuant to the Code of the Town of Oyster Bay, Chapter 143, Landmarks Preservation.
The Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development, and his or her designee.
The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement or cellar). An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for the parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than in a basement area is not considered a building's lowest floor, provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirements of this chapter.
For purposes of the National Flood Insurance Program, the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of 1929, the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88), or other datum, to which base flood elevations shown on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map are referenced.
Not designed for primary use as a 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 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 § 121-14B of this chapter.
Naturally occurring accumulations of sand in ridges and mounds landward of the beach.
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 erections 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 alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of the 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 Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York.
The areas of special flood hazard for the Town of Oyster Bay, Community Number 360483, are identified and defined on the following documents prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency:
Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel Numbers: 36059C0009G, 36059C0016G, 360590017G, 36059C0018G, 36059C0019G, 36059C0028G, 36059C0029G, 360590033G, 36059C0034G, 36059C0036G, 36059C0037G, 36059C0038G, 36059C0039G, 36059C0041G, 36059C0042G, 36059C0043G, 36059C0044G, 36059C0051G, 36059C0052G, 36059C0053G, 36059C0054G, 36059C0056G, 36059C0058G, 36059C0061G, 36059C0062G, 36059C0063G, 36059C0066G, 36059C106G, 36059C0107G, 36059C0108G, 36059C0109G, 36059C0126G, 36059C127G, 36059C0128G, 36059C0131G, 36059C0132G, 36059C0133G, 36059C0134G, 36059C0140G, 36059C0145G, 36059C0151G, 36059C0152G, 36059C0153G, 36059C0154G, 36059C0165G, 36059C0235G, 36059C0251G, 36059C0252G, 36059C0253G, 36059C0254G, 36059C0256G, 36059C0258G, 36059C0261G, 36059C0262G, 36059C0263G, 36059C0264G, 36059C0266G, 36059C0268G, 36059C0351G, 36059C0352G, 36059C0353G, 36059C0354G, 36059C0358G, 36059C0362G, 36059C0366G whose effective date is September 11, 2009, and any subsequent revisions to these map panels that do not affect areas under the jurisdiction of the Town of Oyster Bay.
A scientific and engineering report entitled "Flood Insurance Study, Nassau County New York, All Jurisdictions," dated September 11, 2009.
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 Town of Oyster Bay, Town Hall, Department of Planning and Development, Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York 11771.
The invalidity of any section, provision, paragraph, sentence, phrase, clause or word in this chapter shall not invalidate any other section, provision, paragraph, sentence, phrase, clause or word thereof.
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 failing to comply with the any of its requirements, including infractions of conditions and safeguards established in connection with the terms of this 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 be imprisoned for not more than 15 days, or both. Each day of noncompliance shall be considered a separate offense. Nothing herein shall prevent the Town of Oyster Bay from taking such other lawful action as is necessary to prevent or remedy an infraction. Any structure found noncompliant with the requirements of this chapter for which the developer and/or owner has not applied for or received an approved variance under §§ 121-22 and 121-23 shall be declared noncompliant, and notification of same shall 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 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 Town of Oyster Bay, or 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 made thereunder.
The Commissioner of the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Planning and Development is designated the 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 purposes of protecting its citizens from increased flood hazards, and insuring that new development is constructed in a manner that minimizes 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 § 121-6, 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 $25. In addition, the applicant shall be responsible for reimbursing the Town of Oyster Bay for any additional costs necessary for review, inspection and approval of this project. The local administrator may require a deposit of not more than $500 to cover these additional costs.
The proposed elevation, in relation to mean sea level, of the lowest floor (including basement or cellar) of any new or substantially improved structure to be located in Zone A1-A30, AE or AH, or Zone A if base flood elevation data are available. Upon completion of the lowest floor, the applicant shall submit to the local administrator the as-built elevation, certified by a licensed professional engineer or surveyor.
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 Zone V1-V30 or VE, or Zone V if base flood elevation data are available. Upon completion of the lowest floor, the applicant shall submit to the local administrator, the as-built elevation, certified by a licensed professional engineer or surveyor.
The proposed elevation, in relation to mean sea level, to which any new or substantially improved nonresidential structure will be floodproofed. Upon completion of the floodproofed portion of the structure, the applicant shall submit to the local administrator the as-built floodproofed 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 § 121-16C, Utilities.
A certificate from a licensed professional engineer or architect that any nonresidential floodproofed structure will meet the floodproofing criteria in § 121-19, Construction standards for nonresidential structures outside coastal high-hazard areas.
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 to 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 § 121-6, when notified by the local administrator, and must pay any fees or 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.
A technical analysis, by a licensed professional engineer, if required by the local administrator, which shows whether the proposed development to be located in an area of special flood hazard may result in physical damage to any other property.
In Zone A, when no base flood elevation data are available from other sources, base flood elevation data shall be provided by the permit applicant for subdivision proposals and other proposed developments (including proposals for manufactured home and recreational vehicle parks and subdivisions) that are greater than either five lots or 50 acres.
In Zones V1-V30 and VE, and also Zone V if base flood elevation data are available, 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-V30 and VE, and also Zone V if base flood elevation are available, 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 are to 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.
Duties of the local administrator shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
Review all applications for completeness, particularly with the requirements of § 121-13, Application for permit, and for compliance with the provisions and standards of this chapter.
Review subdivision and other new proposed development, including manufactured home parks, to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding. If a proposed building site is located within an area of special flood hazard, all new construction and substantial improvements shall meet the applicable standards of §§ 121-15 through 121-21 and, in particular, § 121-15B, Subdivision proposals.
If the proposed development may result in physical damage to any other property or fails to meet the requirements of §§ 121-15 through 121-21, 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.
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 § 121-13G, as criteria for requiring that new construction, substantial improvements or other proposed development meet the requirements of this chapter.
The local administrator shall send notification to adjacent communities and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation prior to permitting any alteration or relocation of a watercourse and submit evidence of such notification to the Regional Director, Region II, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
In Zones A1-A30, AE and AH, and also Zone A if base flood data are available, upon placement of the lowest floor or completion of floodproofing of a new or substantially improved structure, the permit holder shall submit to the local administrator 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 the 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-V30 and VE, and also Zone V if base flood elevation data are available, upon placement of the lowest floor of a new and 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 the 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 days or longer (unless it is fully licensed and ready for highway use).
Inspections. The local administrator and/or the developer's engineer or architect shall make periodic inspections at appropriate times throughout the period of construction in order to monitor the compliance with permit conditions and enable said inspector to certify, if requested, that the development is in compliance with the requirements of the floodplain development permit and/or any variance provisions.
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 § 121-9 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 § 121-9 of this chapter.
In areas of special flood hazard, as determined by documents enumerated in § 121-6, 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 § 121-14E, Inspections, and/or any certified evaluations, 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 § 121-14D(1) and (2), and whether or not the structures contain a basement;
Floodproofing certificates required pursuant to § 121-14D(1), and whether or not the structures contain a basement;
Variances issued pursuant to §§ 121-22 and 121-23; and
Notices required under § 121-14C, 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 (FIRM) designated in § 121-6:
The applicant demonstrates that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot in any location; or
The Town of Oyster Bay 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 Town of Oyster Bay for all fees and other costs in relation to the application. The applicant must also provide all data, analyses and mapping, and reimburse the Town of Oyster Bay for all costs related to the final map revision.
On streams with a regulatory floodway, as shown on the Flood Boundary and Floodway Map, or the Flood Insurance Rate Map adopted in § 121-6, no new construction, substantial improvements or other development in the floodway (including fill) shall be permitted unless:
A technical evaluation by a licensed professional engineer shows that such encroachment shall not result in any increase in flood levels during occurrence of the base flood; or
The Town of Oyster Bay 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 Town of Oyster Bay for all fees and other costs in relation to the application. The applicant must also provide all data, analyses and mapping, and reimburse the Town of Oyster Bay for all costs related to the map revisions.
Anchoring. New structures and substantial improvements to structures in areas of special flood hazard shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement during the base flood. This requirement is in addition to applicable state and local anchoring requirements for resisting wind forces.
For enclosed areas below the lowest floor of a structure within Zone A1-A30, AE or AH, and also Zone A if base flood elevation data are available, new and substantially improved structures shall have fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than in a basement and which 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:
Within Zones V1-V30 and VE, and also within Zone V if base flood elevation data are available, 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 lattice work 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 is 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 or 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 to or above the base flood elevation 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;
The following standards apply to new and substantially improved residential structures located in areas of special flood hazard, in addition to the requirements in § 121-15B, Subdivision proposals, § 121-15C, Encroachments, and § 121-16, Construction standards for all structures:
Within Zones A-1-A30, AE and AH and also Zone A if base flood elevation data are available, new construction and substantial improvements shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to or above two feet above the base flood elevation.
Within Zone A, when no base flood data are available, new and substantially improved structures shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade.
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 § 121-6, or at least two feet if no depth number is specified.
The following standards, in addition to the standards in § 121-15A, Coastal high-hazard areas, § 121-15B, Subdivision proposals, and § 121-16, Construction standards for all structures, shall apply to new and substantially improved residential structures located in areas of special flood hazard shown as Zone V1-V30, VE or V on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 121-6:
Elevation. New construction and substantial improvements shall be elevated on pilings, columns or shear walls such that the bottom lowest horizontal structural member supporting the lowest elevated floor (excluding columns, piles, diagonal bracing attached to the columns or piles, grade beams, pile caps and other members designed to either withstand storm action or break away without impairing damaging loads to the structure) is elevated to or above two feet above base flood elevation so as not to impede the flow of water.
The structural design shall be adequate to resist water forces that would occur during the base flood. Horizontal water loads considered shall include inertial and drag forces of waves, current drag forces, and impact forces from waterborne storm debris. Dynamic uplift loads shall also be considered if bulkheads, walls, or other natural or man-made flow obstructions could cause wave run up beyond the elevation of the base flood.
The pilings or column foundation or structure attached thereto shall be adequately anchored to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement due to the effects of wind and water pressures acting simultaneously on all building components. Foundations must be designed to transfer safely to the underlying soil all loads due to wind, water, dead load, live load and other loads (including uplift due to wind and water).
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 be not more than 12 feet on-center under load-bearing sills, beams, or girders.
Pilings shall have adequate soil penetration (bearing capacity) to resist the combined wave and wind loads (lateral and uplift) associated with the base flood acting simultaneously with typical structure (live and dead) loads, and shall include consideration of decreased resistance capacity caused by the erosion of soil strata surrounding the piles. The minimum penetration for foundation piles is to an elevation of five feet below mean sea level (msl) datum if the BFE is +10 msl or less, or to be at least 10 feet below msl if the BFE is greater than +10 msl.
The minimum acceptable sizes for timber piles are a tip diameter of eight inches for round timber piles and eight inches by eight inches for square timber piles. All wood timber piles must be treated in accordance with requirements of EPEE-C3 to minimize decay and damage from fungus.
Reinforced concrete piles shall be cast of concrete having a twenty-eight-day ultimate compressive strength of not less than 5,000 pounds per square inch, and shall be reinforced with a minimum of four longitudinal steel bars having a combined area of not less than 1% nor more than 4% of the gross concrete area. Reinforcing for precast piles shall have a concrete cover of not less than 1 1/4 inches for No. 5 bars and smaller, and not less than 1 1/2 inches for No. 6 through No. 11 bars. Reinforcement for piles cast in the field shall have a concrete cover of not less than two inches.
Piles shall be driven by means of a pile driver or drop hammer, jetted, or augured into place.
Diagonal bracing between piles, consisting of two-inch by eight-inch (minimum) members bolted to the piles, shall be limited in location to below the lowest supporting structural member and above the stable soil elevation, and aligned in the vertical plane along pile rows perpendicular to the shoreline. Galvanized steel rods, with a minimum diameter of 1/2 inch, or cable-type bracing is permitted in any plane.
Column foundation design. Masonry piers or poured-in-place concrete piers shall be internally reinforced to resist vertical and lateral loads and be connected with a movement-resisting connection to a pile cap or a pile shaft.
Connectors and fasteners. Galvanized metal conductors, wood connectors or bolts of size and number adequate for the calculated loads must be used to connect adjoining components of a structure. Toe nailing, as a principal method of connection, is not permitted. All metal connectors and fasteners used in exposed locations shall be steel, hot-dipped and galvanized after fabrication. Connectors in protected interior locations shall be fabricated from galvanized sheet.
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-eighths-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%.
Wooden 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 the joist at the same spacing.
Blocking shall be installed a minimum of eight feet toward the house interior from each gable end. Plywood should be used for subflooring and attic flooring to provide good torsional resistance in the horizontal plane of the structure. The plywood should not be less than 3/4 inch in total thickness, and should be exterior grade and fastened to beams or joists with 8d annular or spiral thread galvanized nails. Such fastening shall be supplemented by the application of waterproof industrial adhesive applied to all bearing surfaces.
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 rafters or joists and top and bottom plates to studs in exterior and bearing walls to form a continuous tie. Continuous 15/32 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 1/2 inch diameter or galvanized steel straps not less than one-inch wide by 1/16 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, and no more than four feet on center.
Ceiling joist rafter connections.
All ceiling joists or rafters shall be installed in such a manner that the joists provide a continuous tie across the rafters. Ceiling joists and rafters shall be securely fastened at their intersections. A metal or wood connector shall be used at alternate ceiling joist/rafter connections to the top wall plate.
Plywood or other wood material, when used as roof sheathing, shall be not less than 15/32 inch in thickness, and shall be of exterior sheathing grade or its equivalent. All attaching devices for sheathing and roof coverings shall be galvanized or be of other suitable corrosion-resistant material.
All corners, gable ends, and roof overhangs exceeding six inches shall be reinforced by the application of waterproof industrial adhesive applied to all bearing surfaces of any plywood sheet used in the sheathing of such corner, gable end or roof overhang.
Protection of openings. All exterior glass panels, windows, and doors shall be designed, detailed and constructed to withstand loads due to the design wind speed of 75 miles per hour. Connections for these elements must be designed to transfer safely the design loads to the supporting structure. Panel widths of multiple panel sliding glass doors shall not exceed three feet.
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 used 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 § 121-15B, Subdivision proposals, § 121-15C, Encroachments, and § 121-16, Construction standards for all structures.
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 FIRM, or at least two feet if no depth number is specified; or
Together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be completely floodproofed to that level to meet the floodproofing standard specified in § 121-16C.
If the structure is to be floodproofed, a licensed professional engineer or architect shall develop and/or review structural designs, 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 § 121-19A(2), including the specific elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which the structure is to be floodproofed.
In Zones V1-V30, VE and also Zone V, if base flood elevations are available, new construction and substantial improvements of any nonresidential structure, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, shall have the bottom of the 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-V30, VE and V.
The following standards, in addition to the standards in § 121-15, General construction standards, and § 121-16, Construction 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:
Meet the requirements for manufactured homes in § 121-21B, C and D.
A recreational vehicle is ready for highway use if it is on wheels or a jacking system, is attached to the site only by quick disconnect type utilities and security devices and has no permanently attached additions.
Within Zone A or V, when no base flood data are available, new and substantially improved and manufactured homes shall be elevated such that the manufactured home chassis is supported by reinforced piers or other foundation elements of at least equivalent strength that are no less than 36 inches in height above grade and are securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist flotation, collapse or 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 in the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 121-6, or at least two feet if no depth number is specified. Elevation on piers consisting of dry blocks is prohibited.
The Zoning Board of Appeals, as established by the Town of Oyster Bay, shall hear and decide appeals and requests for variances from the requirements of this chapter.
In passing upon such applications, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall consider all the technical evaluations, all relevant factors and standards specified in other sections of this chapter and:
The relationship of the proposed use to the Comprehensive Plan and the floodplain management program of that area;
The expected heights, velocity, duration, rate of rise and sediment transport of the floodwaters and the effects of the wave action, if applicable, at the expected site; and
Upon consideration of the factors of § 121-22D, 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.
The local administrator shall maintain the records of all appeal actions, including technical information, and report any variances to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) upon request.
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, provided that the items specified in § 121-22D(1) through (12) have been fully considered. As the lot size increases beyond 1/2 of an acre, the technical justification required for issuing the variance increases.
Variances may be issued for the repair or rehabilitation of historic structures upon the determination that:
The proposed repair or rehabilitation will not preclude the structure's continued historic designation as an historic structure; and
Variances may be issued by a community for new construction and substantial improvements, and for other development necessary for the conduct of a functionally dependent use, provided that:
Variances shall not be issued within any designated floodway if any increase in flood levels during the base flood would result.
Variances shall only be issued on a determination that the variance is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief.