Ask Your White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance…

Is severe flooding ever a source of concern in White County?

Answer:            White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance

Article 1           Section B(1)

“The flood hazard areas of White County are subject to periodic inundation which results in loss of life and property, health and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services, and extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection and relief, all of which adversely affect the public health, safety and general welfare.”

What is the purpose of White County’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance?

Answer:            White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance

Article I            Section C

“It is the purpose of this ordinance to promote the public health, safety and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specific areas by provisions designed to:

(1)    Protect human life and health;

(2)    Minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects;

(3)    Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;

(4)    Minimize prolonged business interruptions;

(5)    Minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in floodplains;

(6)    Help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood-prone areas in such a manner as to minimize future flood blight areas; and

(7)    Insure that potential buyers are notified that property is in a flood area.”

What methods are available for reducing the flood losses that occur in flood hazard areas?

Answer:            White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance

Article I            Section D

“In order to accomplish its purposes, this ordinance uses the following methods:

(1)    Restrict or prohibit uses that are dangerous to health, safety or property in times of flood, or cause excessive increases in flood heights or velocities;

(2)    Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;

(3)    Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers, which are involved in the accommodation of flood waters;

(4)    Control filling, grading, dredging and other development which may increase flood damage;

(5)    Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers which will unnaturally divert flood waters or which may increase flood hazards to other lands.

What are “special flood hazard areas” (SFHAs), and how are they identified?

Answer:            White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance

Article 2          

“…AREA OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD – is the land in the floodplain within a community subject to a one percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year.  The area may be designated Zone A on the Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM)…”

                        Article 3           Section A  LANDS TO WHICH THIS ORDINANCE APPLIES

“The ordinance shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard with the jurisdiction of White County.”

Article 3           Section B  BASIS FOR ESTABLISHING AREAS OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD

“The areas of special flood hazard identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on its Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM), Community Number 050467, dated June 7, 1977, and any revisions thereto are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this ordinance.”

Are permits required for the construction/placement of structures, or for land development, in an SFHA?

Answer:            Regardless of the type of structure, a permit is required; similarly, proposed land development (e.g. new subdivision) requires a permit.  Conditional approval, in the form of a conditional permit, should be obtained from the Floodplain Administrator, before any work is done in the SFHA.  Article 4, Section C(1) states:

“Application for a development permit shall be presented to the Floodplain Administrator on forms furnished by him/her and may include, but not be limited to, plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the location, dimensions, and elevation of proposed landscape alterations, existing and proposed structures, including the placement of manufactured homes, and the location of the foregoing in relation to areas of special flood hazard.”

Are there specific standards for placement of manufactured homes in an SFHA?

Answer:  White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Article 5, Section B(3)

 “…all manufactured homes to be placed within Zone A on a community’s FHBM or FIRM shall be installed using methods and practices which minimize flood damage.  For the purposes of this requirement, manufactured homes must be elevated and anchored to resist 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 requirement is in addition to applicable state and local anchoring requirements for resisting wind forces.”

Are there specific standards that govern the construction or substantial improvement of residential structures in an SFHA?

Answer:            In addition to general standards required of any structure in a flood hazard area, Article 5, Section B(1) of White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance states that – “new construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to or above the base flood elevation (BFE).  A registered professional engineer, architect, or land surveyor shall submit a certification to the Floodplain Administrator that the standard of this subsection as proposed in Article 4, Section C(1) a., is satisfied.

Are there specific requirements for heating/air conditioning units, water and utility lines, or for waste disposal lines or facilities, that are located in an SFHA?

Answer:  White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Article 5, Section A

A(4): “All new construction or substantial improvements shall be constructed with electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, and air conditioning equipment and other service facilities that are designed and/or located so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding.”

A(5): “All new and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system;”

A(6): “New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system and discharge from the systems into flood waters; and,

A(7): “On-site waste disposal systems shall be located to avoid impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding.

Are there specific requirements for a planned subdivision, if the proposed location includes an SFHA?

Answer:  White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Article 5, Section C

C(1):  “All subdivision proposals including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall be consistent with Article 1, Sections B, C, and D of this ordinance.”

C(2):  “All proposals for the development of subdivisions including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall meet Development Permit requirements of Article 3, Section C; Article 4, Section C; and the provisions of Article 5 of this ordinance.”

C(3): “Base flood elevation data shall be generated for the subdivision proposals and other proposed development including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions which (are) greater than 50 lots or 5 acres, whichever is lesser, if not otherwise provided pursuant to Article 3, Section B or Article 4, Section B(8) of this ordinance.”

C(4): “All subdivision proposals including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall have adequate drainage provided to reduce exposure to flood hazards.

C(5): “All subdivision proposals including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall have public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems located and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage.”

What about moving soil; installing roads, bridges, or culverts; modifying a stream channel, or constructing a small dam in an SFHA?

Answer:            Plans for proposed changes in an SFHA require prior approval from the Floodplain Administrator (Article 4, Section C(1)).

Also, DO NOT, under any circumstances make changes to a natural stream or other water body (e.g. construct dam, build road with culvert, or re-route stream), or modify a natural wetland area, without obtaining prior approval the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Are there specific standards that apply to the construction and/or placement of non-residential structures in an SFHA?

Answer: White County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Article 5, Section B(2)

“…new construction and substantial improvements of any commercial, industrial or other nonresidential structure shall either have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to or above the base flood level 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 design, specifications, and methods of construction, and shall certify that the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice as outlined in this subsection…”