§ 6-3-111. Building requirements in flood hazard areas.

In the flood hazard areas of Greenwood and the county, as established on flood hazard boundary maps furnished by the Federal Flood Insurance Agency, the following additional requirements shall be observed:

(1)

Permit required. All proposed development in a flood hazard area shall require a permit, which shall be reviewed to determine if such development adversely affects the flood-carrying capacity of the floodplain. For purposes of this section, the term "adversely affects" means causing damage to adjacent properties because of rises in flood stages attributed to physical changes of the channel and the adjacent overbank areas.

a.

If it is determined that there is no adverse effect, and the development is not a building, then the permit shall be granted without further consideration.

b.

If it is determined that there is an adverse effect, then technical justification (i.e., a registered professional engineering analysis) for the proposed development shall be required.

c.

If the proposed development is a building, the zoning administrator shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state or other source as criteria for requiring, within an area of special flood hazard (zone A), the following:

1.

Residential construction. New construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to or above base flood elevation. Mobile homes are specifically prohibited in any designated flood hazard area except in an existing mobile home park or existing mobile home subdivision.

2.

Nonresidential construction. New construction or substantial improvement of any commercial, industrial or other nonresidential structure shall either have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to the level of the base flood elevation, or, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be floodproofed so that below the base flood level the structure is watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water and with 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 standards of this subsection are satisfied. Such certification shall be provided to the building official. As used in this section, the term "lowest floor" means the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement). An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage, in an area other than a basement area, is not considered a building's lowest floor, provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirements of this chapter. In all construction, electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing and air conditioning equipment and other service facilities shall be designed and located so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding.

3.

Encroachments in floodways. Encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements and other development, shall be prohibited in any floodway unless a technical evaluation demonstrates that the encroachments will not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.

(2)

Data to accompany permit request. In addition to the general requirements for a building permit, all applications for development in a flood hazard area shall be accompanied by the following information:

a.

Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the lowest floor (including basement) of all proposed structures.

b.

Elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any nonresidential structure will be floodproofed.

c.

Certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the nonresidential floodproofed structure is suitably floodproofed.

d.

A description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of the proposed development.

(Ord. No. 13-86, § VII.J, 12-2-86; Ord. No. 20-89, § I, 7-18-89)

Cross reference

Floodplain management, tit. 6, ch. 6.