BANI Newsletter- September 2010

A version of the following article appears in "The Higher Standard," the newsletter for the Builders Association of Northeast Indiana. www.ba-ni.com.

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Water attracts many people to Steuben County to live or vacation every year. While all this water is beneficial, it can also be dangerous. Flooding is the most deadly and expensive natural disaster across the world.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has prepared flood maps for all of Steuben County. These maps indicate what areas are located in a special flood hazard area. These maps are available in the Plan Commission office or online through the FEMA website. If a property or portion of a property is in this area, only FEMA has the authority to officially remove it from the special flood hazard area.

Special flood hazard areas are commonly called “100 year floodplains.” What this really means that there is a 1% chance of a flood reaching that level in any given year. The name is misleading because there could be several “100 year floods” in a month or none for 150 years. (All new information from FEMA and the Indiana DNR use the term 1% flood.)

When making improvements to property located in a special flood hazard area, things can get more complicated quickly. All structures and other improvements must conform to the Floodplain Standards of Chapter 15 of the Steuben County Zoning Ordinance (a very brief recap will be at the end of this article).

Steuben County adopted these standards as required by FEMA and INDNR so that the community could be a participating member of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As a participating community, residents located in special flood hazard areas are eligible for flood insurance through the NFIP, which is necessary for any properties with a federally-backed mortgage. It also makes the County eligible for federal grants and loans in case of a flood disaster.

Failure to adopt and enforce these standards would make it impossible to receive insurance through the NFIP or for the county to receive federal aid following a flood. If the County is placed on probation, all flood insurance policies would immediately increase by $50 per month.

The Plan Commission Office has several publications available in the office explaining different floodproofing techniques and the standards. Feel free to come take a peek.

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Here’s a quick reference of some floodplain standards: (Section 15:04 (a))

(1) New construction and substantial improvements shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement of the structure;

(2) Manufactured homes shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement. Methods of anchoring may include, but are not limited to, use of over-the-top or frame ties to ground anchors. This standard shall be in addition to and consistent with applicable state requirements for resisting wind forces;

(3) New construction and substantial improvements shall be constructed with materials and utility equipment resistant to flood damage below the flood protection grade (FPG);

(4) New construction and substantial improvements shall be constructed by methods and practices that minimize flood damage;

(5) Electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning equipment and other service facilities shall be designed and/or located so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding;

(6) New and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system;

(7) New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system;

(8) On-site waste disposal systems shall be located and constructed to avoid impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding;

(9) Any alteration, repair, reconstruction or improvements to a structure that is in compliance with the provisions of this Chapter shall meet the requirements of “new construction” as contained in this Chapter; and,

(10) Any alteration, repair, reconstruction or improvement to a structure that is not in compliance with the provisions of this Chapter, shall be undertaken only if the non-conformity is not further, extended, or replaced.

(11) Whenever any portion of the SFHA is authorized for use, the volume of space which will be occupied by the authorized fill or structure below the base flood elevation (BFE) shall be compensated for and balanced by an equivalent volume of excavation taken below the BFE. The excavation volume shall be at least equal to the volume of storage lost (replacement ratio of 1 to 1) due to the fill or structure.

a. The excavation shall take place in the floodplain and in the same immediate watershed in which the authorized fill or structure is located;

b. Under certain circumstances, the excavation may be allowed to take place outside of but adjacent to the floodplain provided that the excavated volume will be below the regulatory flood elevation, will be in the same immediate watershed in which the authorized fill or structure is located, will be accessible to the regulatory flood water, will not be subject to ponding when not inundated by flood water, and that it shall not be refilled;

c. The fill or structure shall not obstruct a drainage way leading to the floodplain;

d. The fill or structure shall be of a material deemed stable enough to remain firm and in place during periods of flooding and shall include provisions to protect adjacent property owners against any increased runoff or drainage resulting from its placement; and,

e. Plans depicting the areas to be excavated and filled shall be submitted prior to the actual start of construction or any site work; once site work is complete, but before the actual start of construction, the applicant shall provide to the Plan Director a certified survey of the excavation and fill sites demonstrating the fill and excavation comply with this article.