(A) Designation of Chapter Administrator. The Codes Administrator is hereby appointed as the Administrator to implement the provisions of this chapter.
(B) Permit procedures. Application for a development permit shall be made to the Administrator on forms furnished by the city prior to any development activities. The development permit may include, but is not limited to the following: plans in duplicate drawn to scale and showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevations of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, earthen fill placement, storage of materials or equipment, and drainage facilities. Specifically, the following information is required.
(1) Application stage.
(a) Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the proposed lowest floor, including basement, of all buildings where base flood elevations are available, or to certain height above the highest adjacent grade when applicable under this chapter;
(b) Elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any non-residential building will be flood-proofed where BFEs are available, or to the highest adjacent grade when applicable under this chapter;
(c) A FEMA flood-proofing certificate from a state registered professional engineer or architect that the proposed non-residential flood-proofed building will meet the flood-proofing criteria in § 14-305(A)(2); and
(d) Description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development.
(2) Construction stage.
(a) Within AE Zones, where base flood elevation data is available, any lowest floor certification made relative to mean sea level shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a state registered land surveyor and certified by same. The Administrator shall record the elevation of the lowest floor on the development permit. When flood-proofing is utilized for a non-residential building, the certification shall be prepared by, or under the direct supervision of, a state registered professional engineer or architect and certified by same.
(b) Within approximate A Zones, where base flood elevation data is not available, the elevation of the lowest floor shall be determined as the measurement of the lowest floor of the building relative to the highest adjacent grade. The Administrator shall record the elevation of the lowest floor on the development permit. When flood-proofing is utilized for a non-residential building, the certification shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a state registered professional engineer or architect and certified by same.
(c) For all new construction and substantial improvements, the permit holder shall provide to the Administrator an as-built certification of the lowest floor elevation or flood-proofing level upon the completion of the lowest floor or flood-proofing.
(d) Any work undertaken prior to submission of the certification shall be at the permit holder's risk. The Administrator shall review the above-referenced certification data. Deficiencies detected by the review shall be corrected by the permit holder immediately and prior to further work being allowed to proceed. Failure to submit the certification or failure to make the corrections required hereby, shall be cause to issue a stop-work order for the project.
(C) Duties and responsibilities of the Administrator. Duties of the Administrator shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Review of all development permits to assure that the permit requirements of this chapter have been satisfied, and that proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding;
(2) Review proposed development to assure that all necessary permits have been received from those governmental agencies from which approval is required by federal or state law, including § 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, 33 U.S.C. § 1334;
(3) Notify adjacent communities and the State Department of Economic and Community Development, Local Planning Assistance Office, prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse, and submit evidence of the notification to the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(4) For any altered or relocated watercourse, submit engineering data/analysis within six months to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure accuracy of community FIRM's through the letter of map revision process;
(5) Assure that the flood carrying capacity within an altered or relocated portion of any watercourse is maintained;
(6) Record the elevation, in relation to mean sea level or the highest adjacent grade, where applicable of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new and substantially improved buildings, in accordance with division (B) above;
(7) Record the actual elevation; in relation to mean sea level or the highest adjacent grade, where applicable to which the new or substantially improved buildings have been flood-proofed, in accordance with division (B) above;
(8) When flood-proofing is utilized for a non-residential structure, obtain certification of design criteria from a state registered professional engineer or architect, in accordance with division (B) above;
(9) Where interpretation is needed as to the exact location of boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard (for example, where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions) make the necessary interpretation. Any person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as provided in this chapter;
(10) When base flood elevation data or floodway data have not been provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state or other sources, including data developed as a result of these regulations, as criteria for requiring that new construction, substantial improvements or other development in Zone A on the city's FIRM meet the requirements of this chapter; and
(11) Maintain all records pertaining to the provisions of this chapter in the office of the Administrator, which shall be open for public inspection. Permits issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be maintained in a separate file or marked for expedited retrieval within combined file.
(1989 Code, § 14-304) (Ord. 1143, passed 9-25-2007; Ord. 1219, passed 6-9-2009)