(A) New construction and substantial improvements of any commercial, industrial or other nonresidential structure shall either have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to the base flood level plus one foot of freeboard, or together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be designed so that below the base flood level, the structure is watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water and with structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and effects of buoyancy. A registered professional engineer or architect shall develop and/or review structural designs, specifications and plans for the construction and shall certify that the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice as outlined in this section. A record of such certification that includes the specific elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which such structures are floodproofed shall be maintained by the Floodplain Administrator.
(B) If the use or occupancy of the building changes in the future to residential, then the dry floodproofing of the structure cannot be used when determining compliance of the structure to the residential construction of this chapter as seen in § 151.55 of this chapter. As such, the building will not be grandfathered into compliance and will be required to be brought into compliance with the residential construction requirements of this chapter. The development and construction of the structure must conform to the provision in FEMA/FIA Technical Bulletins 1, 2, 10 and 11. Certification and documentation from a professional, licensed engineer or architect is required if the structure’s lowest floor is built below the BFE.
(Ord. 2020-12-1, passed 12-14-2020)