(a Permits. A permit or other applicable approval shall be obtained for all proposed development of buildings and structures located within a floodplain or flood prone area designated in accordance with Section 2A.282(b), and shall be issued in accordance with applicable procedures for authorizing such construction within the appropriate City departments’ jurisdiction. No building, structure, or land shall be constructed, located, extended, converted, or altered within a floodplain or flood-prone area without full compliance with the requirements of this ordinance and other applicable regulations. The requirements of this ordinance and other applicable regulations shall take precedence over any less restrictive conflicting local laws. The appropriate City department shall maintain a record of the elevation (in relation to NAVD88) of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new and substantially improved structures; and, in all cases of floodproofing, the elevation (in relation to NAVD88) to which the structure was floodproofed in accordance with subections1
(b), (c), or (d).
b) Standards of Construction for Floodplain Areas.
(1) All new construction and substantial improvements shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of San Francisco Building Code Section 1612, California Building Code Section 1612, or other comparable code requirements applicable to the City agency or department implementing the standards of construction under this Article XX, as any of the foregoing code requirements may be amended from time to time.
(2) Standards for Subdivisions. If a subdivision proposal is in a flood-prone area, any such proposals shall be reviewed to assure that:
(A) All such proposals are consistent with the need to minimize flood damage within the flood prone area;
(B) All public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical, and water systems are located and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage; and
(C) Adequate drainage is provided to reduce exposure to flood hazards.
(3) Standards For Utilities. All new and replacement water supply and sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate:
(A) Infiltration of flood waters into the systems, and
(B) Discharge from the systems into floodwaters.
(4) Manufactured Homes. All manufactured homes that are placed or substantially improved, on sites located in a new manufactured home park or subdivision within Zones A1-30, AH, and AE on the community’s Flood Insurance Rate Map, shall be elevated on a permanent foundation such that the lowest floor of the manufactured home is elevated to or above the base flood elevation and is securely fastened to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist flotation, collapse, and lateral movement.
(5) Recreational Vehicles. All recreational vehicles placed in Zones A1-30, AH, and AE shall either:
(2)1
Be fully licensed and ready for highway use. A recreational vehicle is ready for highway use if it is on its wheels or jacking system, is attached to the site only by quick disconnect type utilities and security devices, and has no permanently attached additions; or
(3)1
Meet the permit requirements of subsection (a) and the elevation and anchoring requirements for manufactured homes in subsection (b)(4).
(c Variances.
(1 A variance from the standards provided by this Section 2A.283 may be granted by the appropriate approval authority for a parcel of property with physical characteristics so unusual that complying with the requirements of this ordinance would create an exceptional hardship to the applicant or the surrounding property owners. Variances shall be issued upon a determination that the variance is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief. Variance determinations shall include a showing of good and sufficient cause that:
(A) Failure to grant the variance would result in exceptional hardship to the applicant; and
(B) The granting of a variance will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, or extraordinary public expense, create a nuisance, cause fraud and victimization of the public, or conflict with existing local laws or ordinances.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (c)(1), variances may be issued for new construction, substantial improvement, and other proposed new development to be erected on a lot of one-half acre or less in size contiguous to and surrounded by lots with existing structures constructed below the base flood level.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (c)(1), variances shall be issued for:
(A) The repair or rehabilitation of, or exterior addition to, historic structures upon a determination that the proposed repair, rehabilitation, or addition will not preclude the structure’s continued designation as an historic structure.
(B) New construction, substantial improvement, and other proposed new development necessary for the conduct of a functionally dependent use, provided that the structure or building is protected by methods that minimize flood damages, and that issuance of the variance does not result in additional threats to public safety or create a public nuisance.
(Added by Ord. 188-08, File No. 080823, App. 8/7/2008; amended by Ord. 56-10, File No. 100136, App. 3/25/2010; Ord. 226-20, File No. 200537, App. 11/13/2020, Eff. 12/14/2020)
CODIFICATION NOTE
1. So in Ord. 226-20.