Wolf Township Lycoming County
City Zoning Code

Promote the general health, welfare, and safety of the community.

Encourage the utilization of appropriate construction practices in order to prevent or minimize flood damage in the future.

Minimize danger to public health by protecting water supply and natural drainage.

Reduce financial burdens imposed on the community, its governmental units, and its residents, by preventing excessive development in areas subject to flooding.

Comply with Federal and State floodplain management requirements.

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 Township unless a permit has been obtained from the Zoning Officer.

A zoning permit application, with additional data and documentation identified in §27-1503.12, shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer for any activity in a floodplain.

The degree of flood protection sought by the provisions of this Part is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on acceptable engineering methods of study. Larger floods may occur or flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural causes, such as ice jams and bridge openings restricted by debris. This Part does not imply that areas outside any identified floodplain areas, or that land uses permitted within such areas, will be free from flooding or flood damages.

This Part shall not create liability on the part of the Township 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 floodway area shall be those areas identified in the FIS and the FIRM as floodway and which represent the channel of a watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without increasing the water surface elevation by more than one foot at any point. This term shall also include floodway areas which have been identified in other available studies or sources of information for those Special Flood Hazard Areas where no floodway has been identified in the FIS and FIRM.

The AE Area/Flood Fringe District shall be those areas identified as an AE Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA for which base flood elevations have been provided.

The A Area/District shall be those areas identified as an A Zone on the FIRM included in the FIS prepared by FEMA and for which no base flood elevations have been provided. For these areas, elevation and floodway information from other Federal, State, or other acceptable sources shall be used when available. In lieu of the above, the Township 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 Township.

No encroachment, alteration or improvement of any kind shall be made to any watercourse until all adjacent municipalities that may be affected by such action have been notified by the Township, and until all required permits or approvals have been first obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Regional Office.

No encroachment, alteration or improvement of any kind shall be made to any watercourse unless it can be shown that the activity will not reduce or impede the flood carrying capacity of the watercourse in any way.

In addition, FEMA and Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development shall be notified prior to any alteration or relocation of any watercourse.

Any new construction, development, uses or activities allowed within any identified floodplain area shall be undertaken in strict compliance with the provisions contained in this Part and any other applicable codes, ordinances and regulations.

Any development occurring in 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:

With any FW (floodway area), the following provisions apply:

Within any AE (Special Floodplain Area), no new construction or development shall be allowed unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the elevation of the 100-year flood more than one foot at any point.

Within any AE (Special Floodplain Area) or A (General Floodplain Area), the following provisions apply:

Residential Structures.

Nonresidential Structures.

Space Below the Lowest Floor.

Accessory Structures. Structures accessory to a principal building need not be elevated or floodproofed to remain dry, but shall comply, at a minimum, with the following requirements:

Historic Structures. Historic structures undergoing repair or rehabilitation that would constitute a substantial improvement as defined in this Part must comply with all Code requirements that do not preclude the structure’s continued designation as a historic structure. Documentation that a specific Code 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. Any exemption from Code requirements will be the minimum necessary to preserve the historic character and design of the structure.

Fill. If fill is used, it shall:

Drainage Facilities. Storm drainage facilities shall be designed to convey the flow of storm water runoff in a safe and efficient manner. The system shall ensure proper drainage along streets, and provide positive drainage away from buildings. The system shall also be designed to prevent the discharge of excess runoff onto adjacent properties.

Water and Sanitary Sewer Facilities and Systems.

Other Utilities. All other utilities such as gas lines, electrical and telephone systems shall be located, elevated (where possible) and constructed to minimize the chance of impairment during a flood.

Streets. The finished elevation of all new streets shall be no more than one foot below the regulatory flood elevation.

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 §27-903.6, “Development Which May Endanger Human Life,” shall be stored at or above the regulatory flood elevation or floodproofed to the maximum extent possible.

Placement of Buildings and Structures. Review permits to ensure all buildings and structures are designed, located, and constructed so as to offer the minimum obstruction to the flow of water and shall be designed to have a minimum effect upon the flow and height of floodwater.

Anchoring.

Floors, Walls and Ceilings.

Paints and Adhesives.

Electrical Components.

Equipment. 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.

Fuel Supply Systems. All gas and oil supply systems shall be designed to prevent the infiltration of floodwaters into the system and discharges from the system into floodwaters. Additional provisions shall be made for the drainage of these systems in the event that floodwater infiltration occurs.

Uniform Construction Code Coordination. The Standards and Specifications contained in 34 Pa.Code (Chapters 401 through 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.

If any proposed construction or development is located entirely or partially within any identified floodplain area, applicants for permits shall provide all the necessary information in sufficient detail and clarity to enable the Floodplain Administrator to determine that:

In accordance with the Pennsylvania Flood Plain Management Act, and the regulations adopted by the Department of Community and Economic Development as required by the Act, any new or substantially improved structure which:

Within any identified floodplain area, any new or substantially improved structure of the kind described in Subsection 6.A, above, shall be prohibited within the area measured 50 feet landward from the top-of-bank of any watercourse.

Within any floodway area, any structure of the kind described in Subsection 6.A, above, shall be prohibited. Where permitted within any identified floodplain area, any new or substantially improved residential structure of the kind described in §27-903.6.A above, shall be elevated to remain completely dry up to at least 1½ feet above base flood elevation and built in accordance with §§27-903.1, 27-903.4 and 27-903.5.

Where permitted within any identified floodplain area, any new or substantially improved nonresidential structure of the kind described in Subsection 6.A, above, shall be built in accordance with §§27-903.1, 27-903.4 and 27-903.5 including:

Placed on a permanent foundation.

Elevated so that the bottom of the lowest floor of the manufactured home is at least 1½ feet above the base flood elevation.

Anchored to resist flotation, collapse, or lateral movement.

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 “U. S. 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 through 405 shall apply.

Consideration shall be given to the installation requirements of the 2009 IBC, and the 2009 IRC or the most recent revisions thereto 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) installation.

Be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days, and

Be fully licensed and ready for highway use, or

Meet the permit requirements for manufactured homes in §27-903.7.

No expansion or enlargement of an existing structure shall be allowed within any floodway area that would cause any increase in BFE.

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 more than one foot 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 above activity shall also address the requirements of the 34 Pa.Code, as amended, and the 2009 IBC and the 2009 IRC or the most recent version of the codes.

Within any floodway area/district (see §27-903), no new construction or development shall be allowed, unless the appropriate permit is obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection Regional Office.

Within any AE Area/District without floodway (see §27-903), 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 Regional Office.

Any modification, alteration, reconstruction or improvement of any kind to an existing structure, to an extent or amount of less than 50% of its market value, shall be elevated and/or floodproofed to the greatest extent possible.

No variance shall be granted for any construction, development, use or activity within any floodway area that would cause any increase in the 100-year flood elevation.

No variance shall be granted for any construction, development, use or activity within any AE area that would, together with all other existing and anticipated development, increase the 100-year flood elevation more than one foot at any point.

Except for a possible modification of the 1½ foot freeboard requirement, no variance shall be granted for any of the other requirements pertaining specifically to development regulated by special permit (§27-1503.12) or to development which may endanger human life (§27-903.6).

If granted, a variance shall involve only the least modification necessary to provide relief.

In granting any variance, the Township 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 shall notify the applicant in writing that:

In reviewing any request for a variance, the Township shall consider, at a minimum, the following:

A complete record of all variance requests and related actions shall be maintained by the Township. In addition, a report of all variances granted during the year shall be included in the annual report to FEMA.