(A) Variances may be issued to wet flood-proof an agricultural structure in accordance with Technical Bulletin 7-93, Wet Flood-Proofing Requirements for Structures Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program, document number FIA-TB-7, dated December 1993, and available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(B) 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 § 20-128 of this chapter and the following standards:
(1) Use of the structure must be limited to agricultural purposes as listed in this subsection (B):
(a) Pole frame buildings with open or closed sides used exclusively for the storage of farm machinery and equipment;
(b) Steel grain bins and steel frame corn cribs;
(c) General purpose barns for the temporary feeding of livestock which are open on at least one side;
(d) 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 § 20-63(B) of this chapter; and
(e) Detached garages and storage sheds solely used for parking and limited storage in connection with agricultural uses only, which are no greater than 400 square feet in area.
(2) 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;
(3) 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 five feet per second, fast-flowing flood waters can exert considerable pressure on the building’s enclosure walls or foundation walls;
(4) The agricultural structure must meet the venting requirement of § 20-63(E)(1) of this chapter;
(5) Any mechanical, electrical or other utility equipment must be located above the base flood elevation so that they are contained within a water-tight, flood-proofed enclosure which is capable of resisting damage during flood conditions. The structure must comply with § 20-62(D) of this chapter;
(6) The agricultural structure must comply with the floodway encroachment provisions of § 20-66 of this chapter; and
(7) Major equipment, machinery or other contents must be protected. Such protection may include protective water-tight flood-proofed 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 in accordance with the temporary development provisions of § 20-64 of this chapter.
(Ord. 102, passed 2-3-2003)