(A) (1) Fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor (not including basements) that are subject to flooding shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters.
(2) Designs for meeting this requirement must either be certified by a registered professional engineer, or meet or exceed the following minimum criteria.
(a) A minimum of two openings having a total net area of not less than one square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding shall be provided.
(b) The bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one foot above grade.
(c) 1. Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves, or other coverings or devices provided they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters.
2. Such areas shall be used solely for parking of vehicles, building access, and low damage potential storage.
(B) New and substantially improved structures must be designed (or modified) and adequately anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structure resulting from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic loads, including the effects of buoyancy.
(C) New and substantially improved structures must be constructed with electrical meter, electrical service panel box, water heater, heating, air conditioning, ventilation equipment (including ductwork), and other similar machinery and equipment elevated (or in the case of non-residential structures, optionally floodproofed to) a minimum of one foot above the base flood elevation.
(D) New and substantially improved structures shall be constructed with plumbing, gas lines, water/gas meters, and other similar service utilities either elevated (or in the case of non-residential structures, optionally floodproofed to) a minimum of one foot above the base flood elevation or designed to be watertight and withstand inundation to such level.
(Prior Code, § 6-15-14)