A. Building sites shall be reasonably safe from flooding.
B. All floodplain development, including new construction and substantial improvements to existing structures, shall be designed (or modified) and adequately anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement of the structure.
C. All floodplain development, including new construction and substantial improvements to existing structures, shall be constructed with building materials and utility equipment that are resistant to flood damage. Below base flood elevation, materials must meet FEMA requirements for flood resistant materials. Information on flood resistant materials is outlined in FEMA publication FIA-TB-2.
D. All floodplain development, including new construction and substantial improvements to existing structures, shall use methods and practices that minimize or eliminate flood damages.
E. New and replacement electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning equipment, aboveground storage tanks and other service facilities shall not be located below the base flood elevation.
F. Design and implementation of utility systems required for floodplain development are subject to approval.
G. All new and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the system. If any portion of a public water system is in a special flood hazard area, an emergency flood response plan must be developed and provided to DEQ, Kootenai County and PHD. This plan must be implemented in the event that floodwaters threaten to contaminate the water system, and must include:
1. Written instructions to the operator addressing circumstances necessitating shutdown of the water system,
2. Instructions for disinfecting and testing the system prior to startup, and
3. A protocol for notifying DEQ, PHD and all users when the water system is at risk of being contaminated.
H. New community or individual sanitary sewage disposal systems shall be located outside special flood hazard areas.
I. For new construction and substantially improved structures, a fully enclosed area which is below the lowest floor shall:
1. Be constructed entirely of flood resistant materials to at least the flood protection elevation; and
2. In Zones A and AE, flood openings shall be included which automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters. To meet this requirement, the openings must either be certified by a professional engineer or architect, or must meet or exceed the following minimum design criteria:
a. A minimum of two (2) flood openings on different sides of each enclosed area subject to flooding;
b. The total net area of all flood openings must be at least one square inch (one (1) sq. in.) for each square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding;
c. If a building has more than one enclosed area, each enclosed area must have flood openings to allow floodwaters to automatically enter and exit;
d. The bottom of all required flood openings shall be no higher than one foot (1') above exterior adjacent grade;
e. Flood openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, or other coverings or devices, provided they permit the automatic flow of floodwaters in both directions; and
f. Enclosures made of flexible skirting are not considered enclosures for regulatory purposes, and therefore, do not require flood openings. Masonry or wood underpinning, regardless of structural status, is considered an enclosure and requires flood openings as outlined above.
J. If there is no alternative to locating a replacement sanitary sewage disposal system within a special flood hazard area, the system shall be designed and located to minimize or eliminate both the infiltration of floodwaters into the system, and discharge from the system into floodwaters. The determination that there is no alternative will be made by the Director with input from PHD and/or DEQ.
K. New solid waste disposal facilities and sites, hazardous waste management facilities, salvage yards, and chemical storage facilities shall not be permitted except by variance approved pursuant to section 8.8.203 of this title. A structure or tank for chemical or fuel storage incidental to an allowed use or to the operation of a water treatment plant or wastewater treatment facility may be located in a special flood hazard area only if the structure or tank is either elevated to at least the flood protection elevation and certified in accordance with the provisions of subsection 8.7.204(C) of this article.
L. All required Federal and State permits must be received before a County floodplain development permit, building permit, or site disturbance permit may be issued.
M. New floodplain development shall not increase flood heights except as permitted in this chapter.
N. When a structure is partially located in a special flood hazard area, the entire structure shall meet the requirements for new construction and substantial improvements.
O. When a structure is located in multiple flood hazard zones or in a flood hazard risk zone with multiple base flood elevations, the provisions for the more restrictive flood hazard risk zone and the highest base flood elevation (BFE) shall apply. (Ord. 493, 6-9-2016; amd. Ord. 545, 10-3-2019)