Source: https://ecode360.com/9481585
Timestamp: 2020-01-29 17:59:12
Document Index: 560683474

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73', '§ 73']

Town of Wilson, NY Flood Damage Prevention
§ 73-1 Findings.
§ 73-3 Objectives.
§ 73-4 Word usage; definitions.
§ 73-5 Applicability.
§ 73-6 Basis for establishing areas of special flood hazard.
§ 73-7 Interpretation; conflict with other provisions.
§ 73-9 Penalties for offenses.
§ 73-10 Warning; disclaimer of liability.
§ 73-11 Designation of local administrator.
§ 73-12 Purpose of floodplain development permit; fees.
§ 73-13 Permit application.
§ 73-14 Powers and duties of local administrator.
§ 73-15 General standards.
§ 73-16 Standards for all structures.
§ 73-17 Residential structures.
§ 73-18 Nonresidential structures.
§ 73-19 Manufactured homes and recreational vehicles.
§ 73-20 Critical facilities.
§ 73-21 Appeals Board.
§ 73-22 Conditions for variances.
Chapter 73 Flood Damage Prevention
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Wilson 7-21-2010 by L.L. No. 3-2010.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
073a Attachment A 073b Attachment B
Editor's Note: This local law also repealed former Ch. 73, Flood Damage Prevention, adopted 3-16-1987 by L.L. No. 1-1987.
The Town Board of the Town of Wilson finds that the potential and/or actual damages from flooding and erosion may be a problem to the residents of the Town of Wilson 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.
Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood-control projects;
Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to minimize future flood-blight areas;
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 V1-30, 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 structural integrity of the building during a flood of 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 the federal standards.
The person appointed by the community to administer and implement this chapter by granting or denying development permits in accordance with its provisions. This person is the Building Inspector and/or Code Enforcement Officer of the Town of Wilson, or his or her designees.
The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement or cellar). An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access, or storage, in an area other than a basement area is not considered a building's lowest floor, provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable noneelevation design requirements of this chapter.
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 § 73-14B of this chapter.
The date of permit issuance for new construction and substantial improvements to existing structures, provided that actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition placement, or other improvement is within 180 days after the date of issuance. The "actual start of construction" means the first placement of permanent construction of a building (including a manufactured home) on a site, such as the pouring of a slab or footings, installation of pilings or construction of columns. "Permanent construction" does not include land preparation (such as clearing, excavation, grading, or filling), or the installation of streets or walkways, or excavation for a basement, footings, piers or foundations, or the erection of temporary forms, or the installation of accessory buildings such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main building. For a substantial improvement, the "actual start of construction" means the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.
Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure before the start of construction of the improvement. Substantial improvement also means cumulative substantial improvement. The term includes structures which have incurred substantial damage, regardless of the actual repair work performed. 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 Wilson, Niagara County.
The areas of special flood hazard for the Town of Wilson, Community No. 360514, are identified and defined on the following documents prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency:
Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel Nos. 36063C0042E, 36063C0044E, 36063C0053E, 36063C0054E, 36063C0058E, 36063C0059E, 36063C0061E, 36063C0062E, 36063C0063E, 36063C0064E, 36063C0066E, 36063C0067E, 36063C0068E, 36063C0069E, 36063C0182E, 36063C0201E, 36063C0202E, 36063C0206E, 36063C0207E, whose effective date is September 17, 2010, and any subsequent revisions to these map panels that do not affect areas under our community's jurisdiction.
A scientific and engineering report entitled "Flood Insurance Study, Niagara County, New York, All Jurisdictions," dated September 17, 2010.
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 Wilson Town Hall, 375 Lake Street, Wilson, New York.
No structure in an area of special flood hazard shall hereafter be constructed, located, extended, converted or altered and no land shall be excavated or filled without full compliance with the terms of this chapter and any other applicable regulations. Any infraction of the provisions of this chapter by failure to comply with any of its requirements, including infractions of conditions and safeguards established in connection with conditions of the permit, shall constitute a violation. Any person who violates this chapter or fails to comply with any of its requirements shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined no more than $250 or imprisoned for not more than 15 days, or both. Each day of noncompliance shall be considered a separate offense. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Town of Wilson 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 §§ 73-21 and 73-22 will be declared noncompliant and notification sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The degree of flood protection required by this chapter is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on scientific and engineering considerations. Larger floods can and will occur on rare occasions. Flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural causes. This chapter does not imply that land outside the area of special flood hazards or uses permitted within such areas will be free from flooding or flood damages. This chapter shall not create liability on the part of the Town of Wilson, 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.
Purpose. A floodplain development permit is hereby established for all construction and other development to be undertaken in areas of special flood hazard in this community for the purpose of protecting its citizens from increased flood hazards and ensuring that new development is constructed in a manner that minimizes its exposure to flooding. It shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard, as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 73-6, without a valid floodplain development permit. Application for a permit shall be made on forms furnished by the local administrator and may include but not be limited to plans, in duplicate, drawn to scale and showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevations of the area in question, existing or proposed structures, fill, storage of materials, drainage facilities, and the location of the foregoing.
Fees. All applications for a floodplain development permit shall be accompanied by an application fee of $100. In addition, the applicant shall be responsible for reimbursing the Town of Wilson for any additional costs necessary for review, inspection and approval of this project. The local administrator may require a deposit of no more than $500 to cover these additional costs.
A certificate from a licensed professional engineer or architect that any utility floodproofing will meet the criteria in § 73-16C, Utilities.
A certificate from a licensed professional engineer or architect that any nonresidential floodproofed structure will meet the floodproofing criteria in § 73-18, Nonresidential structures.
A description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development. Computations by a licensed professional engineer must be submitted that demonstrate that the altered or relocated segment will provide equal or greater conveyance than the original stream segment. The applicant must submit any maps, computations or other material required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to revise the documents enumerated in § 73-6 when notified by the local administrator and must pay any fees or other costs assessed by FEMA for this purpose. The applicant must also provide assurances that the conveyance capacity of the altered or relocated stream segment will be maintained.
Review all applications for completeness, particularly with the requirements of § 73-13, Permit application, and for compliance with the provisions and standards of this chapter.
Review subdivision and other proposed new development, including manufactured home parks, to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding. If a proposed building site is located in an area of special flood hazard, all new construction and substantial improvements shall meet the applicable standards of §§ 73-15 through 73-19 and, in particular, § 73-15A, Subdivision proposals.
Determine whether any proposed development in an area of special flood hazard may result in physical damage to any other property (e.g., stream bank erosion and increased flood velocities). The local administrator may require the applicant to submit additional technical analyses and data necessary to complete the determination. If the proposed development may result in physical damage to any other property or fails to meet the requirements of §§ 73-15 through 73-19, 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 § 73-13B, as criteria for requiring that new construction, substantial improvements or other proposed development meet the requirements of this chapter.
The local administrator shall, in Zones A1-A30, AE and AH, and also Zone A if base flood elevation data are available, upon placement of the lowest floor or completion of floodproofing of a new or substantially improved structure, obtain from the permit holder a certification of the as-built elevation of the lowest floor or floodproofed elevation in relation to mean sea level. The certificate shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a licensed land surveyor or professional engineer and certified by same. For manufactured homes, the permit holder shall submit the certificate of elevation upon placement of the structure on the site. A certificate of elevation must also be submitted for a recreational vehicle if it remains on a site for 180 consecutive days or longer (unless it is fully licensed and ready for highway use).
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 § 73-9 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 § 73-9 of this chapter.
In areas of special flood hazard, as determined by documents enumerated in § 73-6, 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 § 73-14E, Inspections, and/or any certified elevations, hydraulic data, floodproofing, anchoring requirements or encroachment analyses which may have been required as a condition of the approved permit.
Certifications of as-built lowest floor elevations of structures, required pursuant to Subsection D, and whether or not the structures contain a basement;
Variances issued pursuant to §§ 73-21 and 73-22; and
The following standards apply to new development, including new and substantially improved structures, in the areas of special flood hazard shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map designated in § 73-6:
The Town of Wilson 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 Wilson 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 Wilson 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 § 73-6, no new construction, substantial improvements or other development in the floodway (including fill) shall be permitted unless:
The Town of Wilson 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 Wilson for all fees and other costs in relation to the application. The applicant must also provide all data, analyses and mapping reimburse the Town of Wilson for all costs related to the final map revisions.
Whenever any portion of a floodplain is authorized for development, the volume of space occupied by the authorized fill or structure below the base flood elevation shall be compensated for and balanced by a hydraulically equivalent volume of excavation taken from below the base flood elevation at or adjacent to the development site. All such excavations shall be constructed to drain freely to the watercourse. No area below the waterline of a pond or other body of water can be credited as a compensating excavation.
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 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:
New and replacement electrical equipment, heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment, plumbing connections, and other service equipment shall be located at least two feet above the base flood elevation or be designed to prevent water from entering and accumulating within the components during a flood and to resist hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and stresses. Electrical wiring and outlets, switches, junction boxes and panels shall also be elevated or designed to prevent water from entering and accumulating within the components unless they conform to the appropriate provisions of the electrical part of the Building Code of New York State or the Residential Code of New York State for location of such items in wet locations.
Elevation. In addition to the requirements in § 73-15A, Subdivision proposals, § 73-15B, Encroachments, and § 73-16, Standards for all structures, the following standards apply to new and substantially improved residential structures located in areas of special flood hazard:
Within Zone AO, new construction and substantial improvements 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 § 73-6 (at least two feet if no depth number is specified).
In addition to the requirements in § 73-15A, Subdivision proposals, § 73-15B, Encroachments, and § 73-16, Standards for all structures, the following standards apply to new and substantially improved commercial, industrial and other nonresidential structures located in areas of special flood hazard:
Together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be completely floodproofed to that level to meet the floodproofing standard specified in § 73-18A(2).
If the structure is to be floodproofed, a licensed professional engineer or architect shall develop and/or review structural design, specifications, and plans for construction. A floodproofing certificate or other certification shall be provided to the local administrator that certifies that the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice for meeting the provisions of § 73-18A(2), including the specific elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which the structure is to be floodproofed.
The following standards, in addition to the standards in § 73-15, General standards, and § 73-16, Standards for all structures, apply, as indicated, in areas of special flood hazard to manufactured homes and to recreational vehicles which are located in areas of special flood hazard:
Within Zone A, when no base flood elevation data are available, new and substantially improved 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.
Within Zone AO, the floor shall be elevated above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as the depth number specified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 73-6 (at least two feet if no depth number is specified).
In order to prevent potential flood damage to certain facilities that would result in serious danger to life and health, or widespread social or economic dislocation, no new critical facility shall be located within any area of special flood hazard or within any five-hundred-year flood zone shown as a B Zone or a shaded X Zone on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Maps.
The Zoning Board of Appeals as established by the Town Board of the Town of Wilson shall hear and decide appeals and requests for variances from the requirements of this chapter.
The costs of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions, including search-and-rescue operations and maintenance and repair of public utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical, and water systems and streets and bridges.
Upon consideration of the factors of § 73-21D and the purposes of this chapter, the Zoning Board of Appeals may attach such conditions to the granting of variances as it deems necessary to further the purposes of this chapter.
Generally, variances may be issued for new construction and substantial improvements to be erected on a lot of 1/2 acre or less in size contiguous to and surrounded by lots with existing structures constructed below the base flood level, provided that the items in § 73-21D(1) through (12) have been fully considered. As the lot size increases beyond the 1/2 acre, the technical justification required for issuing the variance increases.
The criteria of Subsection A, D, E and F of this section are met; and
Any applicant to whom a variance is granted for a building with the lowest floor below the base flood elevation shall be given written notice, over the signature of a community official, that:
Such notification shall be maintained with the record of all variance actions as required in § 73-14H of this chapter.