The City must establish a Floodplain District and an official floodplain map to include all areas subject to inundation by floodwaters. The bases of this delineation must be, at a minimum, the data contained in the most recent Flood Insurance Study for Baltimore City, and illustrated in the Flood Insurance Rate Map. The Flood Insurance Rate Map illustrates both the most recently adopted Special Flood Hazard Areas and the Flood Resilience Area. The base-flood elevation, as determined in the Flood Insurance Study, is graphically delineated on the official floodplain map. Where field-surveyed topography or digital topography indicates that ground elevations are above the base-flood elevation in a Special Flood Hazard Area, then the area is considered in the Special Flood Hazard Area until FEMA issues a Letter of Map Change. Where field-surveyed topography or digital topography indicates that ground elevations are below the closest applicable flood-protection elevation, even in areas not delineated on the FIRM as a Regulated Flood Hazard Area, the area is considered to be a Regulated Flood Hazard Area. The Floodplain District is an overlay on any zoning district, as provided in the Zoning Code of Baltimore City. City Code, 1976/83, art. 7, §4(a) 2000, art. 7, §2-1 Ord. 88-188 Ord. 92-134 Ord. 99-547 Ord. 11-516 Ord. 14-208 Ord. 14-307 Ord. 21-020

The Floodplain District comprises the subdistricts set forth in this section. In all floodplain districts, the flood-protection elevation is calculated as follows:In the tidal floodplain areas, it is the height and geographic extent of the 0.2% annual chance flood in the tidal area plus freeboard. In the non-tidal floodplain areas, it is the extent of the 0.2% annual chance flood, and the height of the 1% annual chance flood plus freeboard. The Floodway is that part of the Floodplain District that is reserved to convey a base-flood discharge so that the cumulative increase in the water surface elevation of the base-flood discharge is no more than the height designated by FEMA in the Flood Insurance Study. The Floodway Fringe comprises those lands within the Floodplain District that:are subject to inundation by a base flood; and lie beyond the Floodway (where a floodway has been determined), or in areas where detailed study data, profiles, and base-flood elevations have been established. The Floodway Fringe appears on the Flood Insurance Rate Map as Zone AE. The Approximated Floodplain comprises those lands within the Floodplain District that:are subject to inundation by a base flood; and lie in:areas for which a detailed study has not been performed, but a base floodplain boundary has been approximated; or areas that are subject to shallow flooding. A base-flood elevation must be established after consideration of any flood elevation and floodway data available from Federal, State, or other sources. The Approximated Floodplain appears on the Flood Insurance Rate Map as Zones A and AO. The Coastal Floodplain, also referred to as tidal floodplain, comprises those lands within the Floodplain District that:due to high tides, hurricanes, tropical storms, and steady onshore winds, are subject to coastal or tidal inundation by a base flood; and lie in areas where detailed study data are available. The Coastal Floodplain appears on the Flood Insurance Rate Map as Zones A and AE, and includes areas encompassed by transects delineated by FEMA in the Flood Insurance Study. (In Zone AE, a designation on the FIRM indicating “Limit of Moderate Wave Action” refers to the landward limit of waves of 1.5 feet or more in height.) The Coastal High Hazard Area is the area within a special flood hazard area extending from offshore to the inland limit of a primary frontal dune along an open coast and any other area that is subject to high velocity wave action from storms or seismic sources. This area is designated on FIRMs as velocity zones V, VO, VE, or V1-30, and includes areas encompassed by transects delineated by FEMA in the Flood Insurance Study. The Coastal High Hazard Area appears on the Flood Insurance Rate Map as Zones V and VE. <em>See </em><cite data-path="|7|§1-3|(c)">§ 1-3(c) {“Definitions: Flood Resilience Area”} of this Division I</cite>. City Code, 1976/83, art. 7, §4(b) 2000, art. 7, §2-2 Ord. 88-188 Ord. 92-134 Ord. 11-516 Ord. 14-208 Ord. 14-283 Ord. 21-020

The official floodplain map is the most current Flood Insurance Rate Map, as prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The official floodplain map:must be maintained by the Planning Department; and is incorporated by reference as part of this Division I. The minimum bases for establishing Regulated Flood Hazard Areas and their respective flood elevations are as follows:the most recent revision of the Flood Insurance Study for the City of Baltimore, dated June 16, 2021; the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map; and all subsequent amendments and revisions to the FIRM. City Code, 1976/83, art. 7, §4(c) 2000, art. §2-3 Ord. 88-188 Ord. 92-134 Ord. 11-516 Ord. 14-208 Ord. 21-020

Regulated Flood Hazard Areas in the nontidal floodplain are designated on the FIRM as “Special Flood Hazard Areas”. The flood elevations for these areas correspond to the base-flood elevations specified in the Flood Insurance Study. Regulated Flood Hazard Areas in the tidal floodplain are designated on the FIRM as Zones AE, V, VE, and X. The flood elevations for Zones V and VE are as shown in the Flood Insurance Study’s Table 4 {“Transect Data”}, under the column heading “Zone Designation and BFE”. The flood elevations for Shaded Zone X (“areas of 0.2% annual chance flood”) and for Zones A and AE are those shown in the Flood Insurance Study’s Table 4 {“Transect Data”}, under the column heading “0.2% Annual Chance”. To establish flood elevations for Regulated Flood Hazard Areas that do not have these elevations shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map or in the Flood Insurance Study, the Floodplain Manager may:provide the best available data for flood elevations; require the applicant to obtain available information from Federal, State, or other sources; or require the applicant to establish Regulated Flood Hazard Areas and design-flood elevations as set forth in <cite data-path="|7|§2-5">§ 2-5 {“Changes to District”} of this subtitle</cite>. City Code, 1976/83, art. 7, §4(c)(part) 2000, art. 7, §2-3(a)(part) Ord. 14-208 Ord. 21-020

The delineation of the Floodplain District and its subdistricts may be revised, amended, or modified by the City, in compliance with the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program and the Maryland Department of the Environment, if:there are changes through natural or other causes to flood elevations and boundaries; or changes are indicated by detailed hydrologic and hydraulic information and studies. As soon as practicable, but not later than 6 months after changes become known, the Planning Department must notify the Federal Insurance Administrator of the changes by submitting technical and scientific data in accordance with 44 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 65. All changes are subject to the review and approval of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Maryland Department of the Environment. City Code, 1976/83, art. 7, §4(d) 2000, art. 7, §2-4 Ord. 88-188 Ord. 11-516 Ord. 14-208

If development is proposed in the vicinity of an unmapped stream that has no delineated base floodplain, a minimum of a 25-foot flood protection setback from the stream’s bank may be used. State permits may be required. Applicants should request the State Water &amp; Science Administration for a determination of whether its permit requirements apply. Variances may be applied for under Subtitle 5 {“Floodplain Variances”} of this Division I. City Code, 1976/83, art. 7, §4(f) 2000, art. 7, §2-6 Ord. 92-134 Ord. 11-516 Ord. 14-208 Ord. 21-020

The Planning Department is responsible to ensure compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program. The Planning Director is responsible for appointing staff to carry out the duties of the Floodplain Manager. The Floodplain Manager is responsible for:overseeing and implementing the City’s floodplain program; responding to all requests and inquiries by the Administrator of the National Flood Insurance Program; reviewing applications to determine whether the proposed uses and other activities will be reasonably safe from flooding; reviewing elevation certificates and requiring incomplete or deficient certificates to be corrected; and keeping all files required by the National Flood Insurance Program. City Code, 2000, art. 7 §2-7 Ord. 11-516 Ord. 14-208