Town of Hampden Floodplain Management
PURPOSE AND ESTABLISHMENT
Certain areas of the Town of Hampden, Maine are subject to periodic flooding, causing serious damages to properties within these areas. Relief is available in the form of flood insurance as authorized by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968.
Therefore, the Town of Hampden, Maine has chosen to become a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program and agrees to comply with the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-488, as amended) as delineated in this Floodplain Management Ordinance.
It is the intent of the Town of Hampden, Maine to require the recognition and evaluation of flood hazards in all official actions relating to land use in the floodplain areas having special flood hazards.
The Town of Hampden has the legal authority to adopt land use and control measures to reduce future flood losses pursuant to Title 30-A MRSA, Sections 3001-3007, 4352, 4401-4407, and Title 38 MRSA, Section 440.
The National Flood Insurance Program, established in the aforesaid Act, provides that areas of the Town of Hampden having a special flood hazard be identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and that floodplain management measures be applied in such flood hazard areas. This Ordinance establishes a Flood Hazard Development Permit system and review procedure for development activities in the designated flood hazard areas of the Town of Hampden, Maine.
The areas of special flood hazard, Zones A and AE, for the Town of Hampden, Penobscot County, Maine, identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a report entitled “Flood Insurance Study – Penobscot County, Maine,” dated July 19, 2023, with accompanying “Flood Insurance Rate Maps, Penobscot County, Maine” dated July 19, 2023, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this Ordinance.
ARTICLE II - PERMIT REQUIRED
The Code Enforcement Officer shall be designated as the local Floodplain Administrator. The Floodplain Administrator shall have the authority to implement the commitment made to administer and enforce the requirements for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Before any construction or other development (as defined in Article XIII), including the placement of manufactured homes, begins within any areas of special flood hazard established in Article I, a Flood Hazard Development Permit shall be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer. This permit shall be in addition to any other permits which may be required pursuant to the codes and ordinances of the Town of Hampden, Maine.
