. Community Development 589-3095
City of Nashua Planning and Zoning 589-3090
: soo Building Safet 589-3080
Community Development Division Code Enforcement 589-3100
City Hall, 229 Main Street, PO Box 2019 roan rOmraINS mission Poocnee
Nashua, New Hampshire 03061-2019 Transportation 880-0100
www.nashuanh.gov FAX 589-3119
Date: March 13, 2021
To: Lori Wilshire, Board of Aldermen President
Jim Donchess, Mayor
From: Deb Chisholm, Waterways Manager
Re: Proposed modification to Land Use Code 190 Article VII Floodplain Management
The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program for communities like Nashua that
participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The CRS offers NFIP policy holders
premium discounts in communities that develop and execute extra measures beyond minimum
floodplain management requirements to provide protection from flooding. The City has been
participating in the CRS program since 2016. Based on our floodplain management efforts, the City
has been assigned a classification of 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. As a result, a premium discount is
available for eligible flood insurance policies. In 2021, Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) issued new prerequisites to the floodplain management requirements. In order to maintain
our current classification in the CRS program, our Floodplain Management Ordinance needs to be
modified to reflect enhanced flood protection for development in the special flood hazard area
(SFHA). To that end the Floodplain Management Ordinance must be revised to require at least one
foot of freeboard for residential buildings in the SFHA.
Within the City’s Land Use Code, under NRO 190, the City adopted Article VII Floodplain
Management §190-59 through §190-70 to apply to lands designated as special flood hazard areas as
determined by FEMA. The code currently describes the construction requirements for development
within a special flood hazard area. The primary focus of this proposed ordinance is to modify §190-
63 Construction requirements such that all residential development including new construction,
placement of new manufactured homes, and Substantial Improvements, be constructed with
electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, and air conditioning equipment, and other service
facilities that are located at least 1 foot above base flood elevation so as to prevent water from
entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding.
The proposed changes will strengthen the City’s land use planning techniques to reduce flood
losses, and will support the City’s ability to continue providing a reduction in flood insurance
premiums to the community.
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