(a) Establishment of floodplain district. A floodplain district is established. It includes the areas in the County subject to inundation by the waters of the 100-year flood as determined and delineated by:
(1) the Flood Insurance Study for Anne Arundel County, Maryland and Incorporated Areas revised February 18, 2015, with accompanying flood insurance rate and floodway maps by FEMA and all subsequent revisions; or
(2) more restrictive floodplain studies or data approved in connection with an application for a building or grading permit or for subdivision.
(b) Subdistricts. The floodplain district consists of the following subdistricts:
(1) Zone A: Special flood hazard areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent annual chance (100-year) flood; base flood elevations are not determined.
(2) Zone AE and Zone A1-30: Special flood hazard areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent annual chance (100-year) flood; base flood elevations are determined; floodways may or may not be determined. In areas subject to tidal flooding, the limit of moderate wave action may or may not be delineated.
(3) Zone AH and Zone AO: Areas of shallow flooding, with flood depths of 1 to 3 feet (usually areas of ponding or sheet flow on sloping terrain), with or without base flood elevations or designated flood depths.
(4) Zone B and Zone X (shaded): Areas subject to inundation by the 0.2-percent annual chance (500-year) flood; areas subject to the 1-percent annual chance (100-year) flood with average depths of less than 1 foot or with contributing drainage area less than 1 square mile; and areas protected from the base flood by levees.
(5) Zone C and Zone X (unshaded): Areas outside of zones designated A, AE, A1-30, AO, VE, V1-30, B and X (shaded).
(6) Zone VE and Zone V1-30: Special flood hazard areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent annual chance (100-year) flood and subject to high velocity wave action (also see coastal high hazard area).
(c) Revisions to floodplain district. The floodplain district boundaries may vary periodically as revisions to the flood insurance study and flood insurance rate maps are made and, upon receipt of changes by the Office of the County Executive, the changes automatically constitute changes to the boundaries of the floodplain district. The Office of Planning and Zoning may revise the delineation of the floodplain district only in compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the requirements of the State and only when there are changes through natural or other causes as indicated by analyses of detailed hydrologic and hydraulic studies. Changes to the delineation of the floodplain district shall be submitted to FEMA within six months after such data and information becomes available if the analyses indicate changes in base flood elevations or boundaries and shall be subject to the review and approval of FEMA and the State, except that approval is not required and elevations shall be used if there is a conflict between map boundaries and elevations plotted on a topographic map.
(d) Request for map amendment. A developer or owner who believes that property has been erroneously included in a designated floodplain district on the flood insurance rate maps may submit scientific or technical information to FEMA for review for a possible map amendment. Any development in a floodway that may result in an increase in water surface elevations or a change to the floodway shall be submitted to FEMA for a conditional letter of map revision.
(e) Boundary disputes in approximated floodplain. As promptly as possible after receipt of written notice of a dispute concerning a district boundary in an approximated floodplain, the Planning and Zoning Officer shall make an interpretation and render a decision in writing.
(Bill No. 58-10; Bill No. 9-15)