§ 3.02.06. General Standards for Flood Hazard Reduction

In all areas of special flood hazards , the following provisions are required:

A.

All new construction and substantial improvements shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structure .

B.

New construction and substantial improvements in the A Zones may be built on unconstrained, but compacted, fill, if in compliance with the Collier County Building Code Ordinance. No significant water is permitted to flow from the subject premises onto abutting properties or into adjoining waters which are not County-approved drainage system(s).

C.

Residential Construction - new construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor elevated to or above the base flood elevation .

D.

Non-residential Construction - new construction and substantial improvements of non-residential structures shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to or above the base flood level or, together with the attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be designed so that, below the base flood level, the structure is essentially waterproofed 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. Floodproofing is prohibited in the velocity (V) zones. The property owners shall provide a certification by a registered professional engineer or registered professional architect that the design standards of this section are satisfied.

E.

All new construction and substantial improvements shall be constructed with electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, 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 .

F.

All new construction or substantial improvements shall be constructed by methods and practices that will minimize flood damage.

G.

Openings - all new construction and substantial improvements with fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are subject to flooding shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters. Designs for meeting this requirement must either be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect, or meet or exceed the following minimum criteria: a minimum of two (2) openings having a total net area of not less than one (1) square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding shall be provided. The bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one (1) foot above the level of the floor they are to service. Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves, or other coverings or devices, provided that they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters.

H.

All new and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system.

I.

New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate inflow of flood waters into the systems and discharges from the systems into flood waters.

J.

On-site waste disposal systems (including septic tanks) shall be designed and/or located to minimize or eliminate impairment to, or contamination from, them during flooding .

K.

Emergency generators for standpipe systems, in accordance with the requirements of the Collier County Building Code or other applicable County Ordinances, must be located above the base flood elevation level, and all fuel tanks for said generators must be waterproofed and vented above the base flood elevation level.

L.

Electrical transformer and/or switching vaults, pad-mounted transformers, pad-mounted switches, and related facilities shall be permitted as independent units below the minimum flood elevation level. Such structures may be located within or outside a building , and are not required to be waterproofed or constructed with breakaway walls , provided registered professional engineer or registered professional architect certifies that they will not adversely affect the structural integrity of the building in which they are located or any part thereof.

M.

All meter enclosures for self-contained electric kilowatt-hour meters serving buildings shall be located above the base flood elevation . If complying with this regulation results in a vertical distance from finished grade to the center of the meter or meters of more than six (6) feet, the meter enclosure shall be located on the outside of an exterior wall with an unobstructed and ready access from an open exterior stairway. When it is necessary to use a stairway for access to a meter, the vertical distance from the tread of the stairway to the center of the meter shall be four (4) to six (6) feet. The meter shall be placed in a position that will not obstruct stairway traffic. On multi-unit buildings , meters and meter Enclosures will be allowed within the building , provided they are above the base flood elevation and located in meter rooms.