The requirements of this section apply to all development proposed within special flood hazard areas identified in §
70-12, Flood Insurance Rate Map use and interpretation.
New structures and substantial improvement of existing structures
located, in whole or in part, in a special flood hazard area shall:
A. Be designed (or modified) and constructed to safely withstand flood
loads reaching the flood protection elevation or the elevation required
by the building code, whichever is greater. Structures shall adhere to building
code standards to ensure that the construction shall provide a complete
load path transferring all loads from their origin through to the
foundation. Structures and their foundations shall be designed, connected
and anchored to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement due
to flood-induced structural loads and stresses.
B. Be constructed by methods and practices that minimize flood damage,
as specified in the building code.
C. Use flood-damage-resistant materials below the elevation of the lowest floor required in §
70-28, Residential structures, or 70-29, Nonresidential structures (for A Zones), or §
70-35, Residential and nonresidential structures (for V Zones and Coastal A Zones).
D. Locate electrical systems, equipment and components, and mechanical,
heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and plumbing appliances, plumbing
fixtures, duct systems, pool controls and pool equipment, and other
service equipment at or above the flood protection elevation. These
systems, components and equipment should not be mounted on walls intended
to break away under flood loads. Electrical wiring is permitted below
the lowest floor elevation, provided it conforms to the building code's
wet location provisions to include separate ground fault interrupting
circuit (GFIC) breakers clearly marked on the circuit breaker panel
board.
E. Locate new electric circuit breaker panel boards and subpanels at
least two feet above the flood protection elevation.
(1) Subpanels serving private piers, whether located on the pier itself or within the shoreline development buffer, shall be located at least 36 inches above the height of the pier and follow the National Electrical Code (as adopted by Talbot County Code, §
56-2) standards for ground fault protection for piers. The measurement shall be taken vertically from the top of the pier decking to the bottom of the subpanel. If the subpanel is located within the shoreline development buffer and not on the pier itself, the measurement shall be taken from the top of the pier decking to a horizontal point in space where the subpanel would be located if it were on the pier. There must be at least 36 inches between these two measurement points.
[Added 10-23-2018 by Bill
No. 1406]
F. If located in Coastal A Zone, comply with the specific requirements
of:
(1) Article
V for new construction and placement of new manufactured homes; or
(2) Article
IV for substantial improvements (including repair of substantial damage) and replacement of manufactured homes.
G. Comply with the requirements of the most restrictive designation
if the site occupies more than one flood zone designation (A Zone,
designated floodway, Coastal A Zone, V Zone).
Historic structure repair, alteration, addition, rehabilitation,
or other improvement shall be exempt from the requirements of this
chapter, provided that the proposed work will not preclude the structure's
continued designation as an historic structure. The Floodplain Administrator
may require documentation of a structure's continued eligibility for
designation as an historic structure.
Functionally dependent uses must conform to these regulations; otherwise they shall be approved only by variances issued pursuant to Article
VI. If approved, functionally dependent uses shall be protected by methods that minimize flood damage during the base flood, including measures to allow floodwaters to enter and exit, use of flood-damage-resistant materials, and elevation of electric service and equipment to the extent practical.