§ 10-8.301. Generally.

(a)

All new construction and substantial improvements located within or in close proximity to special flood hazard areas designated on the FIRM's, FHBM's or FBFM's, or located within or in close proximity to other (i.e. nondesignated) areas that are subject to flooding, shall be constructed by methods and practices that minimize flood damages. All new construction shall be designed and adequately anchored to prevent flotation, collapse and lateral movement of the structure resulting from hydrostatic loads, including the effects of buoyancy.

(b)

All new and replacement water supply systems and sanitary sewage systems constructed in the special flood hazard areas shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the systems and discharge from the systems into floodwaters, and all on-site waste disposal systems shall be located so as to avoid impairment of them or contamination during flooding.

(c)

All new construction and substantial improvements of residential structures located within or in close proximity to special flood hazard areas designated on the FIRM's, FHBM's or FBFM's, or located within or in close proximity to other (i.e. nondesignated) areas that are subject to flooding, shall be designed to have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to at least the flood protection elevation.

Nonsubstantial improvements to existing residential structures are allowed to maintain the lowest floor at the flood protection elevation level as originally permitted unless identified by FEMA as a repetitive loss structure, but in no case shall the nonsubstantial improvement be lower than the current base flood elevation. All manufactured homes to be placed or substantially improved within zones A1-30, AH, and AE shall be elevated on a permanent foundation such that the lowest floor of the manufactured home is at or above the flood protection elevation and is securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system in accordance with the provisions of subsections (a) and (e) of this section.

(d) New construction and substantial improvement of any commercial, industrial or other nonresidential structure shall:

(1)

Have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to at least the flood protection elevation; or

(2)

Together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be floodproofed so that below the flood protection elevation the structure is watertight and with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water and with structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and effects of buoyancy.

A licensed professional engineer or architect shall certify in accordance with section 10-8.203 that the standards of this subsection are satisfied.

(e)

All manufactured homes shall be anchored to resist flotation, collapse and lateral movement by providing ground anchors installed in compliance with applicable state and federal requirements for resisting wind forces.

(f)

In the alteration of flood hazard areas, where a development encompasses a portion of any special flood hazard area and requires the placement of fill, excavation, dredging or otherwise alters the physical condition of the floodplain, the following information, certified by a licensed professional engineer, shall be submitted to the county:

(1)

Typical cross-section of the existing and proposed channel and special cross-sections of the areas depicting the floodway and floodplain boundary.

(2)

Plan view of the channel showing the location of all features affecting the flow.

(3)

Hydrographs, flood-routing calculations and step-backwater profiles of the proposed waterway corresponding to a storm recurrence interval of 100 years.

(4)

Engineering evaluation of all potential increases in flood hazards to the adjacent upstream and downstream private or public lands and facilities located thereon.

(5)

Provisions for eliminating any and all adverse impacts on such lands and facilities at no public cost.

(6)

Plans for compliance with sections 10-4.301 through 10-4.329.

(g)

An evacuation plan indicating alternative vehicular access and escape routes shall be filed with the county office of disaster preparedness for manufactured home parks and manufactured home subdivisions located within zone A as designated on the FIRM's, FHBM's or FBFM's.

(h)

Electrical, heating, ventilation, water well casing, plumbing and air-conditioning equipment and other service facilities shall be designed and/or located so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding.

(i)

All construction below the base flood elevation shall be constructed with materials resistant to flood damage. For all new construction with fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are subject to flooding shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters. Designs for meeting this requirement must either be certified by a licensed professional engineer or architect or must meet or exceed the following minimum criteria: A minimum of two openings having a total net area of not less than one square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding shall be provided. The bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one foot above adjacent grade. Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, or other coverings or devices provided that they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters.

(j)

For areas outside FIRM designated special flood hazard areas, to prevent flood damage due to overland sheet flow, all newly constructed detached single family, duplex, triplex and quadraplex structures and substantial improvements of structures, regardless of their location in or outside of an area subject to flooding, shall have their lowest floor elevation a minimum of one foot higher than the finished grade elevation at a distance of five feet from the foundation. An exception to this requirement can be granted if it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the county administrator or designee that no adverse flooding impacts will occur to the structure.

(k)

The site shall be graded to prevent overland sheetflow from entering into garages and basements. Adequate drainage paths around structures on slopes are required to guide floodwaters around and away from proposed structures.

(l)

All applicants for development orders pertaining to any parcel on which a structure is currently located partially or wholly within a 100-year floodplain, or on which a structure will be constructed, erected, installed, or placed partially or wholly within a 100-year floodplain, or on which any part of a vehicular use area is partially or wholly within the 100-year floodplain, as determined by a flood certificate prepared in accordance with section 10-8.202, must comply with the following requirements unless exempt therefrom below:

(1)

The applicant must obtain from every owner of such parcel a duly executed and recorded release and waiver in a form approved by the county administrator or designee, unless such form already encumbers the parcel, releasing and waiving any and all past, present, and future claims against the county for any damages arising from the flooding of such parcel and agreeing to not seek any relief from such flooding under the county's flooded property acquisition and management program nor from any other such disaster relief programs funded by the county, unless such relief to the applicant is otherwise approved by the board.

(2)

If the development order includes a permit for the erection of a manufactured home owned by someone other than the owner of such parcel, the applicant shall also obtain from every owner of such manufactured home a duly executed release and waiver in a form approved by the county administrator or designee releasing and waiving any and all past, present, and future claims against the county for damages arising from the flooding of such parcel and agreeing not to seek any relief from such flooding under the county's flooded property acquisition and management program nor from any other such disaster relief programs funded by the county, unless such relief to the applicant is otherwise approved by the board.

(3)

If the county's geographical information system (GIS) contour data is used to approximate the floodplain location instead of survey data, then the release and waiver will be required if the location of an existing or proposed structure, or any part of a vehicular use area, is within 20 feet of the floodplain delineated by using the contour data, unless determined otherwise by the county administrator or designee.

(4)

An exemption to all of the requirements of subsection (l) may be granted by the county administrator or designee if it is satisfactorily demonstrated that no adverse flooding impacts will occur to the structure and the vehicular use area will allow for continuous access to the structure.

(m)

Travel trailers and recreational vehicles placed on sites within a floodplain shall be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days or be fully licensed and ready for highway use. Travel trailers and recreational vehicles are ready for highway use if they are on their wheels or jacking system, are attached to the site only by quick disconnect type utilities and security devices, and have no permanently attached additions.

(Ord. No. 10-01, § 2, 1-19-10)