A. Buildings and structures.
1. Design and construction of buildings, structures and facilities exempt from the Florida Building Code. Pursuant to Section 4.05.03, paragraph C., buildings, structures, and facilities that are exempt from the Florida Building Code, including substantial improvement or repair of substantial damage of such buildings, structures and facilities, shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the flood load and flood resistant construction requirements of ASCE 24. Structures exempt from the Florida Building Code that are not walled and roofed buildings shall comply with the requirements of Section 4.05.14.
2. Buildings and structures seaward of the coastal construction control line. If extending, in whole or in part, seaward of the coastal construction control line and also located, in whole or in part, in a flood hazard area:
a. Buildings and structures shall be designed and constructed to comply with the more restrictive applicable requirements of the Florida Building Code, Building Section 3109 and Section 1612 or Florida Building Code, Residential Section R322.
b. Minor structures and non-habitable major structures as defined in F.S. § 161.54, shall be designed and constructed to comply with the intent and applicable provisions of this section and ASCE 24.
B. Critical facilities.
New critical facilities shall, to the extent feasible, be located outside of the special flood hazard area and outside of the two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) (500-year) floodplain. If documentation is provided that feasible sites outside of the special flood hazard and outside of the two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) (500-year) floodplain are not available that satisfy the objectives of a proposed critical facility, then the critical facility shall have the lowest floor or level of dry floodproofing at or above the base flood elevation plus three (3) feet, whichever is higher.
C. Technical amendments to the Florida Building Code, Residential.
Modify Section R322 by amending the following sections, with all changes shown being relative to the original Florida Building Code language rather than any prior technical amendment by the City:
R322.2.1 Elevation requirements.
1. Buildings and structures in flood hazard areas including flood hazard areas designated as Coastal A Zones, shall have the lowest floors elevated to or above the base flood elevation plus 1.5 feet (457.2 mm), or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher.
2. In areas of shallow flooding (AO Zones), buildings and structures shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to a height above the highest adjacent grade of not less than the depth number specified in feet (mm) on the FIRM plus 2 feet (610 mm), or not less than 4 feet (1220 mm) if a depth number is not specified.
3. Basement floors that are below grade on all sides shall be elevated to or above base flood elevation plus 1.5 feet (457.2 mm), or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher.
Exception: Enclosed areas below the design flood elevation, including basements with floors that are not below grade on all sides, shall meet the requirements of Section 322.2.2.
R322.2.2 Enclosed areas below design flood elevation. Enclosed areas, including crawl spaces, that are below the design flood elevation shall:
1. Be used solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage. The interior portion of such enclosed areas shall not be partitioned or finished into separate rooms except for stairwells, ramps, and elevators, unless a partition is required by the fire code. The limitation on partitions does not apply to load bearing walls interior to perimeter wall (crawlspace) foundations. Access to enclosed areas shall be the minimum necessary to allow for the parking of vehicles (garage door) or limited storage of maintenance equipment used in connection with the premises (standard exterior door) or entry to the building (stairway or elevator).
Remainder unchanged
R322.3.2 Elevation requirements.
1. Buildings and structures erected within coastal high-hazard areas and Coastal A Zones, shall be elevated so that the bottom of the lowest horizontal structure members supporting the lowest floor, with the exception of pilings, pile caps, columns, grade beams and bracing, is elevated to or above the base flood elevation plus 1.5 feet (457.2 mm), or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher.
2. Basement floors that are below grade on all sides are prohibited.
3. The use of fill for structural support is prohibited.
4. Minor grading, and the placement of minor quantities of fill, shall be permitted for landscaping and for drainage purposes under and around buildings and for support of parking slabs, pool decks, patios and walkways.
5. Walls and partitions enclosing areas below the design flood elevation shall meet the requirements of Sections R322.3.4 and R322.3.5.
R322.3.4 Walls below design flood elevation. Walls are permitted below the elevated floor, provided that such walls are not part of the structural support of the building or structure and:
1. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing system components are not to be mounted on or penetrate through walls that are designed to break away under flood loads; and
2. Are constructed with insect screening or open lattice; or
3. Are designed to break away or collapse without causing collapse, displacement or other structural damage to the elevated portion of the building or supporting foundation system. Such walls, framing and connections shall have a resistance of not less than 10 (479 Pa) and not more than 20 pounds per square foot (958 Pa) as determined using allowable stress design; or
4. Where wind loading values of this code exceed 20 pounds per square foot (958 Pa), as determined using allowable stress design, the construction documents shall include documentation prepared and sealed by a registered design professional that:
4.1. The walls below the design flood elevation have been designed to collapse from a water load less than that which would occur during the base flood.
4.2. The elevated portion of the building and supporting foundation system have been designed to withstand the effects of wind and flood loads acting simultaneously on structural and nonstructural building components. Water-loading values used shall be those associated with the design flood. Wind-loading values shall be those required by this code.
5. Walls intended to break away under flood loads as specified in Item 3 or 4 have flood openings that meet the criteria in Section R322.2.2, Item 2.
R322.3.5 Enclosed areas below the design flood elevation. Enclosed areas below the design flood elevation shall be used solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage. The interior portion of such enclosed area shall not be partitioned or finished into separate rooms except for stairwells, ramps, and elevators, unless a partition is required by the fire code. Access to enclosed areas shall be the minimum necessary to allow for the parking of vehicles (garage door) or limited storage of maintenance equipment used in connection with the premises (standard exterior door) or entry to the building (stairway or elevator).
D. Technical amendments to the Florida Building Code, Building.
Modify Section 202 by amending the following definitions, with all changes shown being relative to the original Florida Building Code language rather than any prior technical amendment by the City:
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the building or structure to its before-damaged condition would equal or exceed 50% of the market value of the building or structure before the damage occurred. The term also includes flood-related damage sustained by a structure on two separate occasions during a ten-year period for which the cost of repairs at the time of each such flood event, on average, equals or exceeds 25% of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT. Any combination of repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, alteration, addition, or other improvement of a building or structure taking place during a one-year period, the cumulative cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the building or structure before the improvement or repair is started. For each building or structure, the one-year period begins on the date of the first permit issued for improvement or repair of that building or structure subsequent to May 11, 2016. If the structure has incurred "substantial damage," any repairs are considered substantial improvement regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include either
(a) Any project for improvement of a building required to correct existing health, sanitary, or safety code violations identified by the building official and that are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions.
(b) Any alteration of a historic structure provided the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as a historic structure.
Modify Section 1612 by adding the following, with all changes shown being relative to the original Florida Building Code language rather than any prior technical amendment by the City:
1612.4.3 Additional requirements for enclosed areas. In addition to the requirements of ASCE 24, enclosed areas below the design flood elevation shall not be partitioned or finished into separate rooms except for stairwells, ramps, and elevators, unless required by the fire code.
1612.4.4 Elevation requirements. In special flood hazard areas except for the 0.2% (500-year) flood hazard areas (shaded Zone X), the minimum elevation requirements shall be as specified in ASCE 24 or the base flood elevation plus 1.5 feet (457.2 mm), whichever is higher. Seaward of the coastal construction control line, the minimum elevation requirement shall be as specified in ASCE 24, Section 3109, or buildings and structures shall be elevated so that the bottom of the lowest horizontal structure members supporting the lowest floor, with the exception of pilings. pile caps, columns, grade beams and bracing, is elevated to or above the base flood elevation plus 1.5 feet (457.2 mm), whichever is higher.
E. Technical amendments to the Florida Building Code, Existing Building.
Modify Section 202 by amending the following definitions, with all changes shown being relative to the original Florida Building Code language rather than any prior technical amendment by the City:
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. For the purpose of determining compliance with the flood provisions of this code, damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the building or structure to its before-damaged condition would equal or exceed 50% of the market value of the building or structure before the damage occurred. The term also includes flood-related damage sustained by a structure on two separate occasions during a ten-year period for which the cost of repairs at the time of each such flood event, on average, equals or exceeds 25% of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT. For the purpose of determining compliance with the flood provisions of this code, any combination of repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, alteration, addition, or other improvement of a building or structure taking place during a one-year period, the cumulative cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the building or structure before the improvement or repair is started. For each building or structure, the one-year period begins on the date of the first permit issued for improvement or repair of that building or structure subsequent to May 11, 2016. If the structure has incurred "substantial damage," any repairs are considered substantial improvement regardless of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include either
(a) Any project for improvement of a building required to correct existing health, sanitary, or safety code violations identified by the building official and that are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions.
(b) Any alteration of a historic structure provided the alteration will not preclude the structure's continued designation as a historic structure.
(Ord. 719, passed 5-28-2019; Ord. 757, passed 12-18-2020)