Development may not occur in the areas of special flood hazard where alternative locations exist due to the inherent hazards and risks involved. Before a permit is issued, the applicant shall demonstrate that new structures cannot be located out of the areas of special flood hazard and that encroachments onto the areas of special flood hazard are minimized. In all areas of special flood hazard, as set forth in § 8-24, the following provisions are required:
(a) All new construction and substantial improvements shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structure.
(b) All new construction and substantial improvements shall be constructed with flood- resistant materials and utility equipment resistant to flood damage in accordance with Technical Bulletin 2, Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements, dated 8/08, and available from FEMA.
(c) All new construction and substantial improvements shall be constructed by methods and practices that minimize flood damages.
(d) Electrical, ventilation, plumbing, heating and air conditioning equipment (including ductwork), and other service facilities shall be designed so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding, and at a minimum of 4 feet above the base flood elevation (BFE). This requirement does not preclude the installation of outdoor faucets for shower heads, sinks, hoses, etc., as long as cut off devices and back flow devices are installed to prevent contamination to the service components and thereby minimize any flood damages to the building.
(e) New and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system.
(f) New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the systems and discharges from the systems into flood waters. Gravity sewer manholes must be constructed at or above the base flood elevation or flood proofed.
(g) On-site waste disposal systems shall be located and constructed to avoid impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding. Refer to FEMA P-348, Edition 2/February 2017.
(h) All gas or liquid storage tanks, either located above ground or buried, shall be anchored to prevent flotation and lateral movement resulting from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic loads.
(i) Any alteration, repair, reconstruction, or improvement to a structure must be in compliance with the provisions of this article, and shall meet the requirements of new construction as contained in this article. This includes both pre-FIRM and post-FIRM development and structures.
(j) Non-conforming buildings or uses may not be enlarged, replaced, or rebuilt unless such enlargement or reconstruction is accomplished in conformance with the provisions of this article.
(k) Accessibility. A building must meet the specific standards for construction in the areas of special flood hazard, as well as any applicable accessibility requirements promulgated by the South Carolina Building Codes Council. The accessibility requirements are not justification for issuing variance or otherwise waiving these requirements. Also, the cost of improvements required to meet the accessibility provisions shall be included in the costs of the improvements for calculating substantial improvement.
(l) Reasonably safe from flooding. Review all permit applications to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding.
(Ord. 4085, § 2, passed 2-20-2007; Ord. 4631, § 2, passed 6-17-2014; Ord. 5031, passed 11-6-2018; Ord. 5276, passed 4-6-2021)