HomeMy WebLinkAboutProposed Article - Floodplain District _2_ Proposed Zoning Bylaw amendment to correct language pertaining to the
Floodplain District.
Article . Amend North Andover Zoning Bylaw — Section 4.137 Floodplain District.
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town of North Andover Zoning Bylaw, Section 4.137
Floodplain District in order to make minor adjustments so that the Bylaw accurately reflects the
correct flood maps and Building Code reference.
Amend Section 4.137 by adding the underlined language and deleting the bolded/bracketed
language to read as follows:
4.137 Floodplain District
1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The purpose of the floodplain District is to:
a. Ensure public safety through reducing the threats to life and personal injury.
b. Eliminate new hazards to emergency response officials;
c. Prevent the occurrence of public emergencies resulting from water quality,
contamination, and pollution due to flooding.
d. Avoid the loss of utility services which if damaged by flooding would disrupt or shut
down the utility network and impact regions of the community beyond the site of
flooding;
e. Eliminate costs associated with the response and cleanup of flooding conditions;
f. Reduce damage to public and private property resulting from flooding waters.
2. FLOODPLAIN DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AND BASE FLOOD EVALUATION
AND FLOODWAY DATA
The Floodplain District is herein established as an overlay district. The underlying
permitted uses are allowed provided that they meet the Massachusetts State Building
Code, 780 CMR 120.G [Section 3107] "Flood Resistant Construction" and any other
applicable local, state or federal requirements. The District includes all special flood
hazard areas designated on the North Andover Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) issued
by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the administration of the
NEW dated June 2, 1993 as Zone A, AE, AH, AO, A99, [and the FEMA Flood
Boundary & Floodway Map dated June 2, 1993, both maps] which indicate the 100
year regulatory floodplain. The exact boundaries of the District may be defined by the
I00-year base flood evaluations shown on the FIRM and further defined by the Flood
Insurance study booklet dated June 2, 1993. The FIRM [, Floodway Maps] and Flood
Insurance Study booklet are incorporated herein by reference and are on file with the
Town Clerk, Planning Board, Building
and Conservation Commission.
3. BASE FLOOD ELEVATION AND FLOODWAY DATA
a. Floodway Data. In Zone A, AH, A99 and AE, along watercourses that have not had
a regulatory floodway designated, the best available Federal, State, local or other
floodway data as determined by the Building Inspector, in consultation with the
Director of the Division of Public Works, shall be used to prohibit encroachments in
floodways which would result in any increase in flood levels within the community
during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
b. Base Flood Elevation Date. Base flood elevation data is required for subdivision
proposals or other developments greater than 50 lots or 5 acres, whichever is the
lesser, within unnumbered A zones.
c. Areas designated as flood plain on the North Andover Flood Insurance Rate Maps
may be determined to be outside the flood plain district by the Building Inspector, in
consultation with the Director of the Division of Public Works, if an accurate
topographic and property line survey of the area conducted by a registered
professional engineer or land surveyor shows that the flood plain contour elevation
does not occur in any area of proposed buildings, structures, improvements,
excavation, filling, paving, or other work activity. The person requesting the
determination shall provide any other information deemed necessary by the Building
Inspector, in consultation with the Director of Division of Public Works to make that
determination. If the Building Inspector, in consultation with the Director of the
Division of Public Works, determines that the Flood Insurance Rate Maps are in
error, the subject area shall not be regulated as occurring within the Flood Plain
District, and any such determination shall be noted on the Flood Insurance Rate
Maps. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Conservation Commission, Board of
Health, or other Town officials or Board from making non-zoning determinations of
the flood plain or performing their official duties.
4. NOTIFICATION OF WATERCOURSE ALTERATION
If a landowner or project proponent proposes to alter or relocate any watercourse, that
person shall notify the following parties and provide evidence of such notification to
every town board or official who has jurisdiction over such alteration or relocation prior
to or at the time of applying for any approval that is required to perform such alteration of
relocation:
a. Notify in a riverine situation, the following of any alteration or relocation of a
watercourse:
1. Adjacent Communities
2. Bordering States
3. NFIP State Coordinator
Massachusetts Office of Water Resources
251 Causeway Street Suite 600-700
Boston, MA 02114-2104
4. NFIP Program Specialist
FEMA Region I, Rm. 462
J.W. McCormick Post Office & Courthouse
Boston, MA 02109
5. REFERENCE TO EXISTING REGULATIONS
The Floodplain District is established as an overlay district to all other districts. All
development in the district, including structural and non-structural activities, whether
permitted by right or by special permit must be in compliance with Chapter 131, Section
40 of the Massachusetts General Laws and with the following:
a. Section of the Massachusetts State Building Code which addresses Floodplain and
coastal high hazard areas (currently 780 CMR 120.G [3107.0] "Flood Resistant
Construction");
b. Wetlands Protection Regulations, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
(currently 310 CMR 10.00);
c. Inland Wetlands Restriction, DEP (currently 302 CMR 6.00);
d. Coastal Wetlands Restriction, DEP (currently 302 CMR 4.00);
e. Minimum Requirements for the Subsurface Disposal of Sanitary Sewage, DEP
(currently 310 CMR 15, Title 5);
f. Any variances from the provisions and requirements of the above referenced state
regulations may only be granted in accordance with the required variance procedures
of these state regulations.