Which areas are flood zones and how to get flood map answers

(a) Applicability. This chapter shall apply to all lands within the special flood hazard areas as determined by the director or as delineated on the flood insurance rate maps (FIRM) prepared by the FEMA, or both. The following special flood hazard areas are established: (1) Floodway area (floodway in zone AE); (2) Flood fringe area (zones AE, AO, AH); (3) Coastal high hazard area (zone VE, V); and (4) General floodplain area (zone A). (b) Adoption of federal flood maps and reports. The special flood hazard areas identified by the FEMA in the flood insurance rate maps and flood insurance study dated January 19, 2011, and any subsequent revisions and amendments (hereinafter called “flood maps”) are adopted and declared to be part of this chapter. The flood maps are on file at the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting, 650 S. King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. (c) The flood hazard areas and base flood elevations shall be determined by the flood maps. Where interpretation is needed as to whether or not a project lies within a certain flood hazard area, or interpretation is needed on the base flood elevation in the floodway, flood fringe, or coastal high hazard areas, a request for interpretation of the flood maps shall be submitted to the director for determination. The request shall include the project site and location plan, property lines, and dimensions and tax map key. (d) Where flood hazard areas and base flood elevations have not been determined on the flood maps, the director shall obtain and review the information needed to make this determination. A request for interpretation under this section shall be submitted to the director and include three sets of documents, stamped and signed by a licensed professional engineer, containing adequate information and substantiating data consistent with this part, such as flood study, flood data, project site and location plan, property lines and dimension, tax map key, and topographic data, contours, or spot elevations based on reference marks on flood maps. Upon initial review by the director, other related information may be subsequently required to evaluate the request. (e) Flood map revisions. Whenever base flood elevations may change due to a proposed development, the applicant shall obtain a conditional letter of map revision from the FEMA before the approval or issuance of any development permit. A letter of map revision shall be obtained from the FEMA whenever a development has changed the base flood elevation within any special flood hazard area. An application for a letter of map revision shall be submitted to the FEMA no later than six months after the completion of a development.