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Building Codes and Floodplain Management Laura Ghorbi, PE, CFM RAMPP FEMA Region III National Flood Insurance Program Essentials and Best Practices

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Objectives Familiarize floodplain administrators with building codes Familiarize building code officials with floodplain ordinances Identify where building codes and floodplain ordinances overlap and where the gaps are Discuss the different approaches to adopting floodplain management provisions Understand where higher standards may exist and how to coordinate with the building code 2

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Meeting NFIP Requirements NFIP participating municipalities must adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations that meet the minimum requirements of the NFIP. The regulations must: Be legally enforceable Applied uniformly throughout the community Floodplain regulations are usually found in one of, or a combination of, five types of regulations: stand alone, zoning ordinances, building codes, subdivision regulations and sanitary regulations. 3

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ALL development in the SFHA requires a permit Definition of development (as per 44 CFR 59): Any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations, or storage of equipment or materials Poquoson, VA (from FEMA Region III) Ensure you have a process for capturing all floodplain development Permits Required for Development

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Highlights of NFIP Requirements Set forth in 44 CFR Section 60.3 Site reasonably safe from flooding Construct to minimize flood damage Use flood damage-resistant materials Foundation and elevation requirements Design to prevent flotation, collapse, lateral movement during flooding Design or locate equipment to prevent water entry Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage requirements 5

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Flood Damage-Resistant Materials 6 Required below the BFE Withstand prolonged contact with floodwaters FEMA guidance in Technical Bulletin 2 Image source: FEMA file photo

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Foundation Requirements A Zones Slab-on-fill Fully-enclosed foundation wall (flood openings required) Open foundation on piers, posts, pilings, or columns 7 Image source: FEMA Quick Reference Guide: Comparison of Select NFIP & Building Code Requirements V Zones Open foundation on columns or pilings Designed by a registered design professional

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Elevation Requirements 8 FEMA Region III, Poquoson, VA FEMA Region III, Tinicum, PA V Zones: bottom of lowest horizontal structural member to or above BFE A Zones: top of lowest floor to or above BFE

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Presenters Name June 17, 2003 Structures and utilities must be anchored to resist the effects of flotation, collapse, and lateral movement 9 Elevate and Anchor Requirement Foundation Lateral movement Image source: FEMA file photo

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Enclosures Below BFE A Zones Limited to parking, building access, and limited storage At least two openings no more than 1 foot above grade One square inch of opening for each square foot of enclosed space Engineered openings required certification 10 Compliant openings V Zones Limited to parking, building access, and limited storage Space must be free of obstruction, or Breakaway walls, open lattice, or louvers Yardley Borough, PEMA

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Dry Floodproofing Requirements Permitted only for non-residential structures in A Zone floodplains Structure must be made watertight To or above BFE (or BFE +1 foot for insurance purposes) Requires certification by a registered design professional 11 Image: Whole Building Design Guide, National Institute of Building Sciences

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12 Cost to restore or improve the structure equals or exceeds 50% of its market value If damaged, use the pre-damage market value Must be brought into full compliance Middletown Borough, Dauphin County, PA (from PEMA)Town of Bloomsburg, Columbia County, PA (from PEMA) Substantial Improvement/Damage

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Non-Building Development 13 Storage of materials Paving and grading Placement of fill Recreational vehicles and temporary structures Alteration of watercourse Must have same or greater capacity Must maintain capacity over time Image source: SC Quick Guide for Mapping

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NFIP Technical Bulletins NFIP requirements are performance-based 11 Technical Bulletins provide prescriptive guidance for compliance 14

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I-Codes and Floodplain Management Requirements The flood provisions of the 2012 and 2009 I-Codes meet or exceed National Flood Insurance Program minimum requirements for buildings and structures. I-Codes do not meet the minimum NFIP requirements for other development unless adopting: In their entirety, Appendix G of the IBC, Chapter 1 (administration), AND No limiting amendments 15

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Prescriptive vs. Performance Prescriptive Code via IRC The more prescriptive the code, the more engineering is behind the requirements and the less individual design is required Details the specifications for construction standards Design professional only required where proposal is outside of the specifications of the code Performance Code via IBC Leave it to the designer and engineer to decide how to achieve that performance Need a technical professional References other prescriptive standards (like ASCE 24) 16

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IBC Appendix G - Flood-Resistant Construction Addresses flood-related administrative requirements The only place in the I-Code that addresses development other than buildings 17 G101 Administration G102 Applicability G103 Powers and Duties G104 Permits G105 Variances G201 Definitions G301 Subdivisions G401 Site Improvement G501 Manufactured Homes G601 Recreational Vehicles G701 Tanks G801 Other Building Work G901 Temp Structures & Temp Storage G1001 Utility & Miscellaneous Group U

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American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Publications ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures Cited by IBC Flood loads include: Hydrostatic loads Hydrodynamic loads Wave loads Impact loads (from debris and ice) ASCE 24, Flood Resistant Design and Construction Cited by IBC and IRC Specific limitations, minimum requirements, and performance standards for the design and construction of buildings and structures in flood hazard areas 18

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Administrative Provisions How are administrative provisions of the codes handled? Many States modify or rewrite Some States allow communities to write their own Some States use a single chapter for all codes Duties and powers of the building official Granting modifications Content of construction documents and plans Inspections 19

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Inspections The Floodplain Administrator and the Building Code Official are both responsible for ensuring compliance and confirming as-built conditions I-Codes call for at least: Lowest floor or footer inspection to be conducted to allow for correction of possible violation prior to further vertical construction Survey before final inspection Final as-built inspection 20

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Any exemptions within I-Codes or State amendments are superseded by the NFIP minimum requirement to regulate all development in the SFHA. 21

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BFE vs. DFE Base Flood Elevation (BFE) and Design Flood Elevation (DFE) DFE is always BFE or higher In most communities, DFE = BFE DFE is greater than BFE if a community regulates beyond the SFHA on the effective FIRM DFE is NOT BFE + freeboard Freeboard is typically included as an additional height above the BFE or DFE in lowest floor elevation requirements 22

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Coastal A Zone 23 Image source: FEMA P-55 Delineated using LiMWA Flood hazards can be much greater than in riverine Zone A: Waves 1.5 to 3 feet high are capable of causing structural damage and erosion Older FIRMs may fail to reflect changing site conditions as a result of long-term erosion Higher Standard: IBC places Zone V requirements in the Coastal A Zone where delineated Higher Standard: IRC requires 1 foot of freeboard in the Coastal A Zone where delineated

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Critical Facilities Higher elevation requirements for critical and essential facilities, depending on occupancy and purpose of building 24 Image source: FEMA file photo Image source: stock photo

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Local Officials Need to Know What edition of the code was adopted and who is the agency? How is the code adopted? (at the State level, etc.) Are there amendments or modifications? The regulations in the building codes and local floodplain management ordinance to meet or exceed the requirements of the NFIP How to enforce all floodplain management requirements across all codes and ordinances 25

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State Building Code Adoption Include agency references Must know how it works in each state most important to know who to talk to and understand how it is adopted 26 Washington, D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs N/A Delaware No state-wide codes Adopted at a local or county level Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development State-wide code Municipalities can adopt higher standards Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry State-wide code Municipalities can adopt higher standards Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development State-wide code Municipalities can adopt higher floodplain standards West Virginia Fire Commission, Office of State Fire Marshall State-wide code Municipalities can adopt higher standards

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Adoption and Enforcement of the NFIP Minimum Requirements Three main approaches to adoption and enforcement Stand-alone ordinances Companion or Wrap-around ordinances I-Codes: in their entirety, with Appendix G of the IBC, Chapter 1, AND no limiting amendments 27

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Stand Alone Ordinances Might be easier to administer and enforce One ordinance contains all NFIP requirements for development standards Developers and officials can easily see the requirements in one place Ensure that all offices/agencies are aware of floodplain standards when inconsistent May not be coordinated with other regulations or codes regulations could be in conflict 28

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Companion/Wrap-around Ordinance Use the building code for design and construction of buildings and structures Use a companion ordinance for administrative provisions: Adoption of effective maps (and map revisions) Floodway encroachment analyses SI/SD determinations Variances/modifications Use a companion ordinance for development activities that are not regulated by the building code 29

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I-Codes Only Must have both IBC and IRC, with flood provisions intact Must capture existing buildings Must retain administrative provisions (flood) Must capture buildings exempt from the code Must adopt Appendix G (administrative and development other than buildings) Must understand where each NFIP requirement is met Amendments must not weaken the code 30

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Resolving Conflicts in Regulations If the community has both floodplain management ordinances and the I-Codes in effect: The more restrictive prevails Understand which office is responsible for each requirement Go through coordination process to identify differences and gaps Decide how best to resolve those differences and eliminate the gaps (change code, change ordinance, rely on case-by-case application of more restrictive prevails) 31

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32 Flood Resistant Buildings and Development NFIP Regulations (44 CFR Parts 59 & 60 ) ASCE 7 ASCE 24 Building Code Local Floodplain Management Regulations* or IBC Appendix G* Local Floodplain Management Regulations* or IBC Appendix G*

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Coordinating the I-Codes and NFIP 33 Worksheets to help ensure communities meet all NFIP requirements Helps to identify what to capture in a companion ordinance Crosswalks of I-Codes to NFIP regulations Sample plan review and inspection checklists Currently being updated 4 th Edition coming in Summer 2014

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The NFIP minimums regulate all development in the SFHA Remember, nearly all of the NFIP minimum requirements for buildings and structures are ALREADY found in the building code But, other forms of development may not be captured in the building code (for instance, placement of fill) Higher standards likely exist in local floodplain management ordinances Building Code Officials and Floodplain Administrators must work together on administration and enforcement Uncoordinated enforcement results in non-compliance, higher insurance premiums, and increased risk to life and property. 34 Coordination Matters

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Resources and Assistance FEMA Building Science Homepage: http://www.fema.gov/building- sciencehttp://www.fema.gov/building- science Click on Building Code Resources Flood Resistant Provisions of the 2012 and 2009 I-Codes Highlights of ASCE 24-05, Flood Resistant Design and Construction Provisions of the I-Codes and ASCE 24 Compared to the NFIP I-Codes vs. NFIP checklists Building Science Helpline: 1(866) 927-2104 or FEMA- Buildingsciencehelp@fema.dhs.govFEMA- Buildingsciencehelp@fema.dhs.gov For further questions on the NFIP, contact your State Floodplain Manager 35

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FEMA Region III Contacts FEMA-R3-FMI@fema.dhs.gov - FEMA Region III Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch FEMA-R3-FMI@fema.dhs.gov 36 Washington, D.C. Phetmano Phannavong, P.E., CFM 202-535-2248 phetmano.phannavong@dc.gov Delaware Michael Powell, CFM 302-739-9921 michael.powell@state.de.us Maryland David Guignet, P.E., CFM 410-537-3775 dave.guignet@maryland.gov Pennsylvania Daniel Fitzpatrick, CFM 717-720-7445 dafitzpatr@state.pa.us Virginia Charley Banks, CFM 804-371-6135 charley.banks@dcr.virginia.gov West Virginia Kevin Sneed, CFM 304-957-2571 kevin.l.sneed@wv.gov

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