Variances may be issued to wet floodproof an agricultural structure provided it is used solely for agricultural purposes. In order to minimize flood damages during the base flood and the threat to public health and safety, the structure must meet all of the conditions and considerations of § 8-47, this section, and the following standards:
(a) Use of the structure must be limited to agricultural purposes as listed below:
(1) Pole frame buildings with open or closed sides used exclusively for the storage of farm machinery and equipment;
(2) Steel grain bins and steel frame corn cribs;
(3) General-purpose barns for the temporary feeding of livestock which are open on at least one side;
(4) For livestock confinement buildings, poultry houses, dairy operations, and similar livestock operations, variances may not be issued for structures, which were substantially damaged. New construction or substantial improvement of such structures must meet the elevation requirements of § 8-33(b); and
(b) The agricultural structure must be built or rebuilt, in the case of an existing building which is substantially damaged, with flood-resistant materials for the exterior and interior building components and elements below the base flood elevation.
(c) The agricultural structure must be adequately anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement. All of the structure's components must be capable of resisting specific flood-related forces including hydrostatic, buoyancy, hydrodynamic, and debris impact forces. Where flood velocities exceed 5 feet per second, fast-flowing floodwaters can exert considerable pressure on the building's enclosure walls or foundation walls.
(d) The agricultural structure must meet the venting requirement of § 8-34(f)(1).
(e) Any mechanical, electrical, or other utility equipment must be located 4 feet above the base flood elevation or may be contained within a watertight, floodproofed enclosure, which is capable of resisting damage during flood conditions.
(f) The agricultural structure must comply with the floodway encroachment provisions of § 8-37; and
(g) Major equipment, machinery, or other contents must be protected. Such protection may include protective watertight floodproofed areas within the building, the use of equipment hoists for readily elevating contents, permanently elevating contents on pedestals or shelves above the base flood elevation, or determining that property owners can safely remove contents without risk to lives and that the contents will be located to a specified site out of the floodplain.
(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)