The Federal Insurance Administrator will provide the data upon which flood plain management regulations for flood-related erosion-prone areas shall be based. If the Federal Insurance Administrator has not provided sufficient data to furnish a basis for these regulations in a particular community, the community shall obtain, review, and reasonably utilize data available from other Federal, State or other sources, pending receipt of data from the Federal Insurance Administrator. However, when special flood-related erosion hazard area designations have been furnished by the Federal Insurance Administrator they shall apply. The symbols defining such special flood-related erosion hazard designations are set forth in §64.3 of this subchapter. In all cases the minimum requirements governing the adequacy of the flood plain management regulations for flood-related erosion-prone areas adopted by a particular community depend on the amount of technical data provided to the community by the Federal Insurance Administrator. Minimum standards for communities are as follows:

(a) When the Federal Insurance Administrator has not yet identified any area within the community as having special flood-related erosion hazards, but the community has indicated the presence of such hazards by submitting an application to participate in the Program, the community shall

(1) Require the issuance of a permit for all proposed construction, or other development in the area of flood-related erosion hazard, as it is known to the community;

(2) Require review of each permit application to determine whether the proposed site alterations and improvements will be reasonably safe from flood-related erosion and will not cause flood-related erosion hazards or otherwise aggravate the existing flood-related erosion hazard; and

(3) If a proposed improvement is found to be in the path of flood-related erosion or to increase the erosion hazard, require the improvement to be relocated or adequate protective measures to be taken which will not aggravate the existing erosion hazard.

(b) When the Federal Insurance Administrator has delineated Zone E on the community's FIRM, the community shall

(1) Meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section; and

(2) Require a setback for all new development from the ocean, lake, bay, riverfront or other body of water, to create a safety buffer consisting of a natural vegetative or contour strip. This buffer will be designated by the Federal Insurance Administrator according to the flood-related erosion hazard and erosion rate, in conjunction with the anticipated “useful life” of structures, and depending upon the geologic, hydrologic, topographic and climatic characteristics of the community's land. The buffer may be used for suitable open space purposes, such as for agricultural, forestry, outdoor recreation and wildlife habitat areas, and for other activities using temporary and portable structures only.

[41 FR 46975, Oct. 26, 1976. Redesignated at 44 FR 31177, May 31, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 44552, Sept. 29, 1983; 49 FR 4751, Feb. 8, 1984]