For applications located in a flood hazard area involving building permits to improve buildings and structures, including alterations, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, change of occupancy, additions, rehabilitations, renovations, and any other improvement of, or work on, such buildings and structures, the Floodplain Administrator, in coordination with applicable community officials and staff, shall:
(A) Estimate the market value by using the county-appraised value, or the applicant may obtain an appraisal of the market value prepared by a qualified independent appraiser. The value shall be of the building or structure only, not of the building and land, as it exists before the start of construction of the proposed work. In the case of repair, the market value of the building or structure shall be the market value before the damage occurred and before any repairs are made;
(B) Compare the cost to perform the improvement, the cost to repair a damaged building to its pre-damaged condition, or the combined costs of improvements and repairs, if applicable, to the market value of the building or structure;
(C) Determine and document whether the proposed work constitutes substantial improvement or repair of substantial damage. The determination may require evaluation of previous permits issued for improvements and repairs;
(D) Utilize FEMA’s substantial improvement/substantial desk reference when making any determination on an substantial improvement and/or substantial damage;
(E) The substantial improvement regulations apply to all work that is proposed as the improvement, even if multiple permits are issued. Therefore, the determination of the cost of the improvement should consider all costs of all phases of the work before issuance of the first permit; and
(F) Notify the applicant that, if it is determined that the work constitutes substantial improvement or repair of substantial damage, that compliance with this chapter is required.
(Ord. 2106-34, passed 6-22-2021)