Agenda - Council Work Session - 09/26/2023

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1 (5) Storage of materials and equipment below the regulatory flood protection elevation must 2 comply with an approved emergency plan providing for removal of such materials within the 3 time available after a flood warning. 4 (6) Alternative elevation methods other than the use of fill may be utilized to elevate a structure's 5 lowest floor above the regulatory flood protection elevation. These alternative methods may 6 include the use of stilts, pilings, parallel walls, etc., or above -grade, enclosed areas such as crawl 7 spaces or tuck under garages. The base or floor of an enclosed area shall be considered above- 8 grade and not a structure's basement or lowest floor if: 9 a. The enclosed area is above -grade on at least one side of the structure. 10 b. It is designed to internally flood and is constructed with flood resistant materials. 11 c. It is used solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage. The above -noted alternative 12 elevation methods are subject to the following additional standards: 13 1. Design and certification. The structure's design and as -built condition must be certified 14 by a registered professional engineer or architect as being in compliance with the general 15 design standards of the Minnesota State Building Code and, specifically, that all electrical, 16 heating, ventilation, plumbing and air conditioning equipment and other service facilities 17 must be at or above the regulatory flood protection elevation or be designed to prevent 18 flood water from entering or accumulating within these components during times of 19 flooding. 20 2. Specific standards for above -grade, enclosed areas. Above -grade, fully enclosed areas 21 such as crawl spaces or tuck under garages must be designed to internally flood and the 22 design plans must stipulate: 23 (i) The minimum area of openings in the walls where internal flooding is to be used as a 24 floodproofing technique. There shall be a minimum of two openings on at least two 25 sides of the structure and the bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one foot 26 above grade. The automatic openings shall have a minimum net area of not less than 27 one square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding unless a 28 registered professional engineer or architect certifies that a smaller net area would 29 suffice. The automatic openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves, or 30 other coverings or devices provided that they permit the automatic entry and exit of 31 flood waters without any form of human intervention; and 32 (ii) That the enclosed area will be designed of flood resistant materials in accordance 33 with the FP-3 or FP-4 classifications in the Minnesota State Building Code and shall be 34 used solely for building access, parking of vehicles, or storage. 35 36 925 General Floodplain District (GF) 37 (A) Permitted uses. 38 (1) The uses listed in section 923(A), floodway district permitted uses, are permitted uses. 39 (2) All other uses are subject to the floodway/flood fringe evaluation criteria specified in [section] 40 925(b) below. Section 923 applies if the proposed use is determined to be in the floodway 41 district. Section 924 applies if the proposed use is determined to be in the flood fringe district. 42 (B) Procedures for floodway and flood fringe determinations. 43 (1) Upon receipt of an application for a permit or other approval within the general floodplain 44 district, the zoning administrator must obtain, review and reasonably utilize any regional flood 45 elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state, or other source. 46 (2) If regional flood elevation and floodway data are not readily available, the applicant must 47 furnish additional information, as needed, to determine the regulatory flood protection 48 elevation and whether the proposed use would fall within the floodway or flood fringe district. Page 124 of 160