§ 16-77. Specific standards.  


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  • In all areas of special flood hazard the following provisions are required:

    (1)

    New construction and/or substantial improvements. Where base flood elevation data are available, new construction and/or substantial improvement of any structure or manufactured home shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than one foot above the base flood elevation. Should solid foundation perimeter walls be used to elevate a structure, openings sufficient to facilitate equalization of flood hydrostatic forces on both sides of exterior walls shall be provided in accordance with standards of subsection 16-76(4), "elevated buildings."

    a.

    All heating and air conditioning equipment and components (including ductwork), all electrical, ventilation, plumbing, and other service facilities shall be elevated at or above one foot above the base flood elevation.

    (2)

    Nonresidential construction. New construction and/or the substantial improvement of any structure located in A1-30, AE, or AH zones, may be floodproofed in lieu of elevation. The structure, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, must be designed to be water tight to one foot above the base flood elevation, with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water, and structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and the effect of buoyancy. A registered professional engineer or architect shall certify that the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice for meeting the provisions above, and shall provide such certification to the official as set forth above and in subsection 16-53(6).

    (3)

    Standards for manufactured homes and recreational vehicles. Where base flood elevation data are available:

    a.

    All manufactured homes placed and/or substantially improved on: (1) individual lots or parcels, (2) in new and/or substantially improved manufactured home parks or subdivisions, (3) in expansions to existing manufactured home parks or subdivisions, or (4) on a site in an existing manufactured home park or subdivision where a manufactured home has incurred "substantial damage" as the result of a flood, must have the lowest floor including basement, elevated no lower than one foot above the base flood elevation.

    b.

    Manufactured homes placed and/or substantially improved in an existing manufactured home park or subdivision may be elevated so that either:

    1.

    The lowest floor of the manufactured home is elevated no lower than one foot above the level of the base flood elevation; or

    2.

    The manufactured home chassis is elevated and supported by reinforced piers (or other foundation elements of at least an equivalent strength) of no less than 36 inches in height above grade.

    c.

    All manufactured homes must be securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist flotation, collapse and lateral movement. (Ref. subsection 16-76(6) above.)

    d.

    All recreational vehicles placed on sites must either:

    1.

    Be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days.

    2.

    Be fully licensed and ready for highway use, (a recreational vehicle is ready for highway use if it is licensed, on its wheels or jacking system, attached to the site only by quick disconnect type utilities and security devices, and has no permanently attached structures or additions), or

    3.

    The recreational vehicle must meet all the requirements for "new construction", including the anchoring and elevation requirements of subsection (3)(a)c., above.

    (4)

    Floodway. Located within areas of special flood hazard established in section 16-23, are areas designated as floodway. A floodway may be an extremely hazardous area due to velocity floodwaters, debris or erosion potential. In addition, the area must remain free of encroachment in order to allow for the discharge of the base flood without increased flood heights. Therefore, the following provisions shall apply:

    a.

    Encroachments are prohibited, including earthen fill, new construction, substantial improvements or other development within the regulatory floodway. Development may be permitted however, provided it is demonstrated through hydrologic and hydraulic analyses performed in accordance with standard engineering practice that the encroachment shall not result in any increase in flood levels or floodway widths during a base flood discharge. A registered professional engineer must provide supporting technical data and certification thereof.

    b.

    Only if subsection 16-77(4)a. above is satisfied, then any new construction or substantial improvement shall comply with all other applicable flood hazard reduction provisions of division 3.

(Ord. of 7-27-2010, Art. 4, § B)