Source: http://www.codepublishing.com/WA/ClydeHill/html/ClydeHill15/ClydeHill1511.html
Timestamp: 2018-01-19 19:03:25
Document Index: 249969118

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1']

Chapter 15.11 FLOOD HAZARD REDUCTION
15.11.020 General provisions.
15.11.030 Administration.
15.11.040 Provisions for flood hazard reduction.
“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 found at CHMC 15.11.040(B) (i.e., provided there are adequate flood ventilation openings).
“Start of construction” includes substantial improvement, and means the date the building permit was issued, provided the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, placement or other improvement was within 180 days of the permit date. The “actual start” means either the first placement of permanent construction of a structure on a site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the construction of columns, or any work beyond the stage of excavation; or the placement of a manufactured home on a foundation. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such as clearing, grading and filling; nor does it include the installation of streets and/or walkways; nor does it include excavation for a basement, footings, piers, or foundations or the erection of temporary forms; nor does it include the installation on the property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main structure. For a substantial improvement, the “actual start of construction” means the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the building.
2. If the structure has been damaged and is being restored, before the damage occurred. For the purposes of this definition “substantial improvement” is considered to occur when the first alteration of any wall, ceiling, floor, or other structural part of the building commences, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions of the structure.
“Variance” means a grant of relief from the requirements of this chapter that permits construction in a manner that would otherwise be prohibited by this chapter. (Ord. 892 § 1, 2008; Ord. 891 § 1, 2008)
A. Lands to Which This Chapter Applies. This chapter shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the city of Clyde Hill.
B. Basis for Establishing the Areas of Special Flood Hazard. Areas of special flood hazard within the city shall be those areas that may be identified by the Federal Insurance Administration in a scientific and engineering report entitled “The Flood Insurance Study for the City of Clyde Hill,” and any revisions thereto, with an accompanying flood insurance rate map (FIRM), and any revisions thereto, which documents are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter. Any such flood insurance study and the FIRM shall be maintained on file at the City Hall, 9605 NE 24th Street, Clyde Hill, Washington 98004. The best available information for flood hazard area identification as outlined in CHMC 15.11.030(C)(2) shall be the basis for regulation until a FIRM is issued that incorporates data utilized under CHMC 15.11.030(C)(2).
C. Warning and Disclaimer of Liability. The degree of flood protection required by this chapter is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on scientific and engineering considerations. Larger floods can and will occur on rare occasions. Flood heights may be increased by manmade or natural causes. This chapter does not imply that land outside the areas of special flood hazard or uses permitted within such areas will be free from flooding or flood damages. This chapter shall not create liability on the part of the city, any officer or employee thereof, or the Federal Insurance Administration for any flood damages that result from reliance on this chapter or any administrative decision lawfully made hereunder. (Ord. 892 § 1, 2008; Ord. 891 § 1, 2008)
1. Development Permit Required. A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard established in CHMC 15.11.020(B). The permit shall be for all structures and for all development including fill and other activities.
2. Application for Development Permit. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the city and may include, but not be limited to, plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevations of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, fill, storage of materials, drainage facilities, and the location of the foregoing. Specifically, the following information is required:
a. Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the lowest floor (including basement) of all structures recorded on a current elevation certificate (FF 81-31) with Section B completed by the local official;
c. Certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the floodproofing methods for any nonresidential structure meet floodproofing criteria in CHMC 15.11.040(B)(2);
B. Designation of the Local Administrator. The city engineer is hereby appointed to administer and implement this chapter by granting or denying development permit applications in accordance with its provisions.
C. Duties and Responsibilities of the Local Administrator. Duties of the local administrator shall include, but not be limited to:
c. Review all development permits to determine if the proposed development is located in the floodway. If located in the floodway, assure that the encroachment provisions of CHMC 15.11.040(D)(1) are met.
2. Use of Other Base Flood Data (in A and V Zones). When base flood elevation data has not been provided (in A or V Zones) in accordance with CHMC 15.11.020(B), Basis for Establishing the Areas of Special Flood Hazard, the city engineer shall obtain, review, and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state or other source, in order to administer CHMC 15.11.040(B), Specific Standards, and 15.11.040(D), Floodways.
a. Where base flood elevation data is provided through the flood insurance study, FIRM, or required as in subsection (C)(2) of this section, obtain and record the actual (as- built) elevation (in relation to mean sea level of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new or substantially improved structures, and whether or not the structure contains a basement. Recorded on a current elevation certificate (FF 81-31) with Section B completed by the local official.
ii. Maintain the floodproofing certifications required in subsection (A)(2) of this section.
b. Require that maintenance be provided within the altered or relocated portion of said watercourse so that the flood carrying capacity is not diminished.
D. Conditions for Variances.
1. Generally, the only condition under which a variance from the elevation standard may be issued is for new construction and substantial improvements to be erected on a small or irregularly shaped lot contiguous to and surrounded by lots with existing structures constructed below the base flood level. As the lot size increases, the technical justification required for issuing the variance increases.
5. Variances as interpreted in the National Flood Insurance Program are based on the general zoning law principle that they pertain to a physical piece of property; they are not personal in nature and do not pertain to the structure, its inhabitants, economic or financial circumstances. They primarily address small lots in densely populated residential neighborhoods. As such, variances from flood elevations should be quite rare.
6. Variances may be issued for nonresidential buildings in very limited circumstances to allow a lesser degree of floodproofing than watertight or dry floodproofing, where it can be determined that such action will have low damage potential, complies with all other variance criteria except subsection (D)(1) of this section, and otherwise complies with CHMC 15.11.040(A)(1), (3) and (4) of the general standards.
7. Any applicant to whom a variance is granted shall be given written notice that the permitted structure will be built with its lowest floor below the base flood elevation and that the cost of flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk. (Ord. 892 § 1, 2008; Ord. 891 § 1, 2008)
A. General Standards. In all areas of special flood hazard, the following standards are required:
b. All manufactured homes shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement, and shall be installed using methods and practices that minimize flood damage. Anchoring methods may include, but are not limited to, use of over-the-top or frame ties to ground anchors.
a. All new and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the systems;
c. New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the systems and discharges from the systems into floodwaters;
b. All subdivision proposals shall have public utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical, and water systems located and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage;
c. All subdivision proposals shall have adequate drainage provided to reduce exposure to flood damage;
5. Review of Building Permits. Where elevation data is not available either through the flood insurance study, FIRM, or from another authoritative source (CHMC 15.11.030(C)(2), applications for building permits shall be reviewed to assure that proposed construction will be reasonably safe from flooding. The test of reasonableness is a local judgment and includes use of historical data, high water marks, photographs of past flooding, etc., where available. Failure to elevate at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade in these zones may result in higher insurance rates.
B. Specific Standards. In all areas of special flood hazard where base flood elevation data has been provided as set forth in CHMC 15.11.020(B), Basis for Establishing the Areas of Special Flood Hazard, or CHMC 15.11.030(C)(2), Use of Other Base Flood Data. Additional standards were clarified in FEMA Technical Bulletin 11-01 to allow crawlspace construction for buildings located in the special flood hazard areas; however, adopting this provision can result in a 20 percent increase in flood insurance premiums. The following provisions are required:
a. New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated one foot or more above the base flood elevation (BFE).
c. Be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect that the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice for meeting provisions of this subsection based on their development and/or review of the structural design, specifications and plans. Such certifications shall be provided to the official as set forth in CHMC 15.11.030(C)(3)(c);
d. Nonresidential structures that are elevated, not floodproofed, must meet the same standards for space below the lowest floor as described in subsection (B)(1)(b) of this section.
Applicants who are floodproofing nonresidential buildings should be notified that flood insurance premiums will be based on rates that are one foot below the floodproofed level (e.g., a building floodproofed to the base flood level will be rated as one foot below). Floodproofing the building an additional foot will reduce insurance premiums significantly.
c. Meet the requirements of subsection (B)(3) of this section and the elevation and anchoring requirements for manufactured homes.
C. AE and A1-30 Zones with Base Flood Elevations but No Floodways. In areas with base flood elevations (but a regulatory floodway has not been designated), no new construction, substantial improvements, or other development (including fill) shall be permitted within Zones A1-30 and AE on the community’s FIRM, unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot at any point within the community.
D. Floodways. Located within areas of special flood hazard established in CHMC 15.11.020(B) are areas designated as floodways. Since the floodway is an extremely hazardous area due to the velocity of floodwaters that can carry debris and increase erosion potential, the following provisions apply:
1. Prohibit encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other development unless certification by a registered professional engineer is provided, demonstrating through hydrologic and hydraulic analyses performed in accordance with standard engineering practice that the proposed encroachment would not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
2. Construction or reconstruction of residential structures is prohibited within designated floodways, except for (a) repairs, reconstruction, or improvements to a structure which do not increase the ground floor area; and (b) repairs, reconstruction or improvements to a structure, the cost of which does not exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure either (i) before the repair, or reconstruction is started, or (ii) if the structure has been damaged, and is being restored, before the damage occurred. Any project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of state or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which have been identified by the local code enforcement official and which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions, or to structures identified as historic places, may be excluded in the 50 percent.
3. If subsection (D)(2) of this section is satisfied, all new construction and substantial improvements shall comply with all applicable flood hazard reduction provisions of this section. (Ord. 892 § 1, 2008; Ord. 891 § 1, 2008)