A publication of the Bill Gladstone Group of NAI CIR

Transcription

1 A publication of the Bill Gladstone Group of NAI CIR Does Your Property Contain a Floodplain? What you need to know to maximize developable land area and minimize permit approval times By Brenda K. Wick, P.E. and Matthew S. Bonanno, P.E. As a potential buyer or developer of a property, you need to know if the property has a floodplain or floodway to fully understand the restrictions on its development potential and the typical timeframes that will be required for agency approvals. In fact, one of the earliest items you should check when considering how suitable a site is for land development is whether it contains a floodplain or floodway. If it does, the floodplain and floodway can affect the developable land area, the type of state and federal environmental permits you must obtain, the time needed to obtain those permits, the elevation of proposed structures, and the type of structural waterproofing that may be required. If you are considering the development of a site that contains a river, stream or watercourse whether or not it is named and regardless of its size you need to consider the effects of the floodway, flood fringe and floodplain on your project. From the Sales Desk October 2009 What is a floodplain, and what is a floodway? The regulatory floodplain is the land adjoining a river or stream that has been or may be expected to be inundated by flood waters in the 100-year frequency flood (the base flood for regulatory purposes). This means that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has determined the land is subject to at least a one percent chance of flooding in any given year. (The determination is made using hydrologic models created from historical runoff data and hydraulic models of the river or stream.) (Continued on page 2) t SOLD TUCK STREET, LEBANON Dr. Salahub D.P.M. of Podiatric Medicine Surgery will be moving to this location during the first quarter of , 5, 7 Floodplain 3-4, 6-7 Current Listings 8 Group Spotlight LEASE CEDAR CLIFF u DRIVE, CAMP HILL Rogers Benefit Group, a national marketing and servicing insurance agency, has extended its lease in the Cliffdale Office Park ext wgladstone@naicir.com

2 Floodplain The floodplain is composed of a floodway and a flood fringe. The floodway conveys the main force of the flood and its rapidly-moving waters, while the flood fringe contains the outlying areas of the floodplain that are inundated by slowmoving or standing water outside the main channel of the river or stream. In general, the floodway must be kept free of encroachment to prevent increases in floodwater height during the 100-year flood event, but it is possible that the flood fringe can be developed by raising the ground. FEMA s floodway delineation is intended to allow a wall to be built along the floodway edge and possibly fill within the entire flood fringe to any height. However, most municipalities require hydraulic modeling of proposed fill within the floodplain to analyze any increase to the flood elevation, and most do not allow any increase to the flood elevation. The distinction between the floodway and flood fringe is important because environmental permits are required for private development that impact the floodway. Environmental permits are not required for private development in the flood fringe, but public agencies must obtain a permit for work within the flood fringe. The 100-year floodplain, floodway and flood fringe are illustrated below: How do I know if my property is affected? Floodplain and floodway boundaries have been determined nationwide by 2 FEMA, which designates them as Special Flood Hazard Areas. You can view maps of these boundaries on their Web site to determine if your property lies within a regulatory floodplain: Go to Click Flood Insurance, Maps, and Information. Click Map Service Center. Enter your property s address. The Web site will find the appropriate Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Though FEMA has established regulatory floodplain boundaries throughout the nation, they have not studied or mapped all of them. In Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) states that, absent any evidence to the contrary, the floodway is assumed to extend from the stream to 50 feet from the top of each bank of the stream when FEMA has not studied a stream. The level of detail FEMA provides on each type of map varies. Some maps show only the boundary of the floodplain and limited additional information, while others delineate the floodway and include the location of the stream cross-sections used in the hydraulic models of the stream. Location within a floodplain will also affect the insurance requirements of your project. All federal agency lenders require the owners of structures within Special Flood Hazard Areas to carry flood (Continued from page 1) insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. Most private lenders also require flood insurance within Special Flood Hazard Areas. What do I do to maximize the development potential of my property? If your property contains land within a regulatory floodplain shown on FEMA mapping, you should retain a professional engineer to review the floodplain. Some floodplains have been determined by a detailed Flood Insurance Study, but some have been determined by approximate methods and no elevations have been determined for the 100-year water surface. Often when the floodplain boundary is overlaid onto the existing contours, the boundaries do not reflect the elevation of the land. Special Flood Hazard Areas for floodplains determined through approximate methods may be fairly conservative and may include more land area than is required for the flow of the base flood. In these cases, a developer should consider redefining the floodplain by applying to FEMA for a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) or Letter of Map Revision (LOMR). A CLOMR is a letter from FEMA commenting on whether a proposed project, if built as proposed, would meet minimum National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) standards. A LOMR is a letter issued by FEMA officially revising the current NFIP map. The approximate floodplain should be redefined using hydraulic modeling, the existing topography, and a peak flowrate suitable to FEMA. The resulting Map Revision will be based on improved data and will remove the areas outside of the newly delineated floodplain. Even if a floodplain has been determined by a detailed Flood Insurance Study, it warrants a professional review. Many of FEMA s studies were performed using topographic information from USGS Quadrangles, which have contour intervals of 20 feet. Therefore, the floodplain boundary shown on FEMA mapping may not be based on current or detailed topography (however it is still the legal floodplain boundary, and a revision must (Continued on page 5)

3 NEW LISTINGS p CONTACT US TODAY Bill Gladstone Group of NAI CIR ext p LEASE 4400 DEER PATH ROAD, HARRISBURG 773-1,933 SF available. Class A building at signalized intersection. Close proximity to I-81 & downtown Harrisburg. 7 Parking spaces/1,000 SF. Attractive two-story lobby with a lot of natural light. p LEASE 532 E. EMAUS STREET (BUILDING 21-C), MIDDLETOWN 36,000 SF functional warehouse space. Site has rail access to all 4 doors. Fully fenced yard with secure gate controlled access. Zoning permits warehousing, storage, distribution, manufacturing & other similar uses. p LEASE 24 NORTHEAST DRIVE, HERSHEY 13,600 SF functional, single-story office building. Prominent Hershey location - near Hershey Park. Perimeter window line can be expanded to suit tenant s specifications. Nearby amenities include gas, shopping, dining & hotels. Zoning permits schools, professional offices & similar uses. p SALE ROSE HILL FARM, GETTYSBURG PIKE, DILLBURG 47 acre tract for residential development. Public utilities available nearby. Many neighborhood conveniences/amenities surround site. Easily accessible from Rt. 15. p LEASE 3780 TRINDLE ROAD, CAMP HILL 1,010 SF nicely finished office suite located above Mountz Jewelers. Corner suite with two attractive window lines. Great visibility & excellent access to Rt. 581 & Rt. 15. On-site parking available. Competitive leasing rates. CIR Commercial Real Estate Services, Worldwide l Information concerning these offerings comes from sources deemed reliable, but no warranty is made as to the accuracy thereof, & they are submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price or other conditions, prior sale or lease, or withdrawal without notice. All sizes approximate. NAI CIR, 1015 Mumma Road, Wormleysburg, PA PA License #RB024320A 3

4 COMMERCIAL LISTINGS p SALE CARLISLE PIKE (RT. 11), MECHANICSBURG 2,870 SF commercial building with office/showroom & shop/ warehouse space. Well-situated site on Rt. 11; over 30,000 vehicles daily. Convenient to the I-81 interchange at Rt p SALE 450 E. NORTH STREET, CARLISLE Expansive 3.4 acre site with fully fenced yard & public utilities. 2 usable buildings, office: 6,500± SF; warehouse/storage: 10,000± SF. Vacant acreage is suitable for additional buildings or build-to-suit opportunities. p LEASE 105 S. MAIN STREET, BIGLERVILLE 1,568 SF existing gas station with small repair garage. Situated at the corner of Rt. 394 & 34; approximately 6.5 miles from Rt. 15. Daily traffic counts: Rt ,285; Rt. 34-5,736. Existing equipment available for use. p LEASE 420 MARKET STREET, LEMOYNE 1,085 SF store front space with large window lines. Over 150 of frontage in high traffic corridor. Large illuminated pole sign along Market Street available for tenant s use. Open floor plan allows for a variety of office & retail uses. INDUSTRIAL LISTINGS p SALE/LEASE 516 INDUSTRIAL ROAD, LEWISBERRY 10,100± SF freestanding building. Easily accessible to I-83. Building currently has 3,735± SF of warehouse/storage space, two drive-in doors & a small fenced outside storage area. Building can accommodate additional warehouse space. p LEASE 4425 CHAMBERS HILL ROAD, HARRISBURG 11,600 SF functional, clean warehouse building. 15' clear ceiling height. Central to all PA highway networks; easy access to north, south, east & west. On-site parking for trucks & vehicles. p LEASE 2410 GETTYSBURG ROAD, CAMP HILL 33,600 SF freestanding warehouse building. Direct access to Rt. 15 & Rt. 581; provides quick connection to I-81, I-83, PA Turnpike (I-76) & other major PA highways. 4 loading docks & 1 drive-in door. 16' clear ceiling height. 4 Information concerning these offerings comes from sources deemed reliable, but no warranty is made as to the accuracy thereof, and they are submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price or other conditions, prior sale or lease, or withdrawal without notice. All sizes approximate. NAI CIR, 1015 Mumma Road, Wormleysburg, PA PA License #RB024320A p LEASE 651 ALRICKS STREET, HARRISBURG 19,970 SF freestanding warehouse. Convenient location just off the 6th Street industrial corridor. 18' clear ceiling height. 2 interior loading docks with levelers plus one 22' high loading dock. Clean, well-maintained facility. CIR Commercial Real Estate Services, Worldwide l

5 Floodplain be requested through the CLOMR or LOMR process). In addition, land or improvements located within a designated floodplain, but at a higher elevation than the base flood elevation, are not automatically removed from a regulatory floodplain boundary. In order to remove structures in which the lowest floor elevation (including the basement) is above the base flood elevation, a professional engineer or professional land surveyor must complete a National Flood Insurance Program Elevation Certificate and request a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F). After the LOMA or LOMR-F is issued by FEMA, the structure or land is removed from the floodplain by the letter, but the floodplain boundary line shown on the FEMA map is not revised. As stated previously, such floodplain boundary revisions require a CLOMR or LOMR from FEMA. To apply for one, a professional engineer can complete FEMA s MT-2 Application Forms, and these forms must be acknowledged by a municipal official. The application will include a revised floodplain model that will redefine the floodplain based on the current or proposed conditions. It must be made in cooperation with the municipality because the municipality is responsible for the community s floodplain management regulations. Once it has definitively been determined that a property contains a FEMA floodplain, the property owner must research the floodplain requirements of the municipality where the property is located. These standards are usually adopted into the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, the Zoning Ordinance, or the Building Permit Ordinance, but they can also be incorporated into a standalone Floodplain Ordinance. Municipal floodplain standards usually regulate the type of land use allowed within the floodplain and establish construction standards. Municipalities must participate in the National Flood Insurance Program in order for their citizens to have flood insurance available to them, and those municipalities that do participate must develop floodplain requirements that meet FEMA s minimum standards for structures or improvements within floodplain areas. These standards include the following stipulations: 1. All new residential structures within Special Flood Hazard Areas must be elevated to at least the base flood elevation. (However, most municipalities require structures to be 18 inches above the base flood elevation.) 2. All new non-residential structures within Special Flood Hazard Areas must be elevated to at least the base flood elevation or must be designed so that areas below the base flood elevation are watertight and structurally sound. Many municipalities have their own standards that go above and beyond these requirements. Sometimes the municipal requirements of construction within a Special Flood Hazard Area are so costly or land use-prohibitive that the developer is encouraged to redefine a floodplain (using the CLOMR or LOMR process) instead of building to the standards required within floodplain districts. The developer can also choose to leave portions of the land undeveloped. In addition to determining the construction requirements of the municipality, developers should familiarize themselves with the environmental permitting requirements. For private property owners, DEP requires Water Obstruction and Encroachment Permits when construction occurs within the floodway (or within Waters of the Commonwealth, which also include wetlands). For public entities such as Departments of Transportation and utilities, DEP requires permits to be obtained within the flood fringe as well, so any work within the floodplain (or wetland) may require a Water Obstruction and Encroachment Permit. (The corresponding federal permit, when required, is the USAOCE Section 404 Permit.) When an existing structure is located in the floodway, FEMA does not prohibit the rebuilding or replacement of the structure. The construction is regulated by the local municipality; it must be permitted by the DEP and possible by the USAOCE. Also, (Continued from page 2) it must not cause a rise to the base flood elevation. Generally, an applicant can rebuild or replace a structure of similar size without supplying a hydraulic analysis of the base flood elevation. If a larger structure is proposed, a hydraulic analysis must be provided. The construction must comply with the local floodplain standards. Water Obstruction and Encroachment Permits vary in complexity and the timeframe needed for approval. Some impacts to a floodplain or floodway meet the very specific criteria of a DEP General Permit. These are permits that have been predetermined by DEP to be adequately regulated utilizing standardized specifications and conditions. Projects that are eligible for coverage under a DEP General Permit typically do not present a substantial risk to life, property or the environment. If an impact to a waterway or floodway of a project does not meet the criteria of a General Permit, a Joint Permit Application, possibly requiring review by both the USAOCE and the DEP, will be required. Such projects should be discussed with DEP and the USAOCE prior to submission of an application. The timeline from the submission of General Permit registration until DEP acknowledges its use may be as little as 30 days, but it could be as long as 100 days depending on the workload at DEP. The timeline for the project planning, pre-application meeting, final design and review period of the more complicated Joint Permit Application may extend from one to two years before a permit is issued. Because of the time required for permit approvals and the limitations a municipality may impose on construction when your property is located within a floodplain, you must determine during the earliest stages of project planning whether any portion of your site is located within a regulatory floodplain. If it is, you should consult with a professional engineer to review the floodplain boundary to determine if a revision to the boundary can minimize the impact of the floodplain on your development. Once the floodplain boundary has been definitivelydetermined, you must familiarize yourself with the construction requirements of the (Continued on page 7) 5

6 OFFICE LISTINGS p LEASE 900 CENTURY DRIVE, MECHANICSBURG Two-story building with professional finishes & good window lines. 1,584 SF suite ready to accept build-out on 1st floor. Easy access to Rt. 15 & PA Turnpike (I-76). LEASING INCENTIVES! p LEASE 3425 SIMPSON FERRY ROAD, CAMP HILL 1,690 SF suite available on the 2nd floor. Professional finishes throughout with high ceilings & attractive window lines. Plenty of on-site parking. p SALE 2579 INTERSTATE DRIVE, HARRISBURG 10,004 SF freestanding building. Convenient East Shore location in Commerce Park off Progress Avenue. Easy access to all major highways & surrounding business corridors. p LEASE 7046 CARLISLE PIKE, CARLISLE 2,000 SF two-story office building. Large lot; permits truck parking & some outside storage. Central location for all major PA industrial markets. p SALE 141 S. 32ND STREET, CAMP HILL 1,400 SF building for easy conversion to an office. Daily exposure to 42,000+ vehicles along Rt. 11/15. Convenient access to Rt. 581 interchange with easy connections to major PA highways. p SALE 1103 N. FRONT STREET, HARRISBURG 1,805 SF three-story building. Riverfront with astonishing views from all 3 floors. 5+ spaces of on-site parking. Property is well-maintained. p SALE 3434 TRINDLE ROAD, CAMP HILL 1,632 SF well-maintained building in prominent commercial/office corridor. Functionality & condition make for easy conversion to professional office space. 100 of frontage on Trindle Road. 6 Information concerning these offerings comes from sources deemed reliable, but no warranty is made as to the accuracy thereof, and they are submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price or other conditions, prior sale or lease, or withdrawal without notice. All sizes approximate. NAI CIR, 1015 Mumma Road, Wormleysburg, PA PA License #RB024320A p LEASE 1170 HARRISBURG PIKE, CARLISLE 58,554 SF (subdividable) two-story building; fully finished basement & attic. Great for a regional office or other large office users; easy access to all major PA highway systems. Situated along Rt. 11 at the PA Turnpike (I-76) interchange. CIR Commercial Real Estate Services, Worldwide l

7 Floodplain municipality and the permitting requirements of state and federal environmental agencies to be sure your project complies and will proceed on schedule. Due to the complexity involved in all of these tasks, you will benefit from the knowledge of an expert professional engineer who can research and advise you properly on the most cost-effective options before moving forward with the development of your site. Brenda K. Wick, P.E. is a project manager in the Civil Service Group of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., a consulting firm that provides civil engineering services in the areas of water resources management, land development, water and wastewater treatment, and transportation to clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. Her work is focused on designing stormwater management facilities and roadway improvements; completing permit applications for DEP, PENNDOT, and other regulatory (Continued from page 5) agencies; performing floodplain analyses; and representing municipal clients with engineering related matters. Matthew S. Bonanno, P.E. is a regional manager of civil engineering services for Central Pennsylvania at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. In this capacity, he is responsible for providing diverse civil engineering services to both municipal and private clients as well as supervising staff. LAND LISTINGS LOCATION ACRES ZONING TYPE 5140 Jonestown Road & 4 Carolyn Street, Harrisburg, Dauphin County General Commercial Sale 638 Alricks Street, Harrisburg, Dauphin County Heavy Industry Sale Wyndamere Road & I-83, Etters, York County 1.40 Commercial Sale Rt. 743 (Hershey Road), Elizabethtown, Lancaster County 1.5 Commercial Sale Milroy & Grayson Roads, Lot 16, Hummelstown, Dauphin County 1.92 Manufacturing District Sale Wildwood Park Drive, Harrisburg, Dauphin County 2± Commercial (good restaurant site) Sale 1501 Harrisburg Pike, Carlisle, Cumberland County 2.08 Commercial Sale 6290 Allentown Blvd., Harrisburg, Dauphin County 2.14 Commercial Sale East Cumberland Street (Rt. 422), Lebanon, Lebanon County 2.2 Commercial Sale N. Baltimore & Rt. 15, Dillsburg, York County 2.29 Mixed Use Center District Sale St. Johns Road, Camp Hill, Cumberland County 3.05 Commercial/Office Sale 2-6 Dunwoody Drive, Carlisle, Cumberland County (5 lots) Commercial Sale 1442 Trindle Road, Carlisle, Cumberland County 6.63 Industrial District Sale Lena Drive, Lot 15, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County Planned Business Center District Sale Rt. 22 & Rt. 39, Harrisburg, Dauphin County 7.70 (6 lots) Commercial Highway/Office Sale Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg, Dauphin County 10± General Commercial Sale 7700 Derry Street, Harrisburg, Dauphin County (8 lots) Commercial Sale Carlisle Pike (Rt. 11), Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County 19.5 Community Commercial Sale Rt. 15 & Rt. 74, Dillsburg, York County Commercial Sale Milroy & Grayson Roads, Lot 17, Hummelstown, Dauphin County 1.72 Manufacturing District Sale/Lease 6325 Chelton Avenue, Harrisburg, Dauphin County 3.75 Business Campus Sale/Lease 550 E. Main Street, Hummelstown, Dauphin County 1.0 Commercial Lease US Rt. 11 & PA Turnpike, Lots 4-5, Carlisle, Cumberland County & Commercial Lease Bent Creek Blvd., Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County 2.4 Community Commercial Lease Rt. 11 & PA Turnpike, Carlisle, Cumberland County 2.66 Commercial Highway Lease Stoverdale Road & Middletown Road, Hummelstown, Dauphin County 5 Neighborhood Commercial Lease CIR Commercial Real Estate Services, Worldwide l Information concerning these offerings comes from sources deemed reliable, but no warranty is made as to the accuracy thereof, and they are submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price or other conditions, prior sale or lease, or withdrawal without notice. All sizes approximate. NAI CIR, 1015 Mumma Road, Wormleysburg, PA PA License #RB024320A 7

8 Group Member Spotlight Stori Peters Administrative Assistant Stori is the Administrative Assistant for the Bill Gladstone Group of NAI CIR. She performs a number of office functions to support our Group including escrow deposits, escrow releases, invoicing paperwork and distributing mailings as needed. Stori coordinates and confirms appointments to keep activities running smoothly within our Group. Her time management and ability to prioritize tasks helps keep our Group efficient and organized. Since receiving her license, she began assisting Bill and David on the operations side dealing with the sales and leasing of properties. Stori attended Pennsylvania College of Technology and has an Associates business degree in Legal Assistant Studies (LA). Did you know? The first drive-in gas station opened in Pittsburgh, PA on Dec. 1, More than 20 million meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere every day. It takes about 63,000 trees to make the newsprint for the average Sunday edition of The New York Times. Return Service Requested PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Harrisburg, PA Permit No. 783 BILL GLADSTONE, CCIM, SIOR NAI CIR P.O. Box 8910 Camp Hill, PA PHONE: FAX: wgladstone@naicir.com