ARTICLE V, Construction Standards

Text relating to codes enforcement has been copied from the pdf provided by the Village and pasted here. This was done to make the text searchable.

ARTICLE V, Construction Standards

§ 123-15. General standards

The following standards apply to new development, including new and substantially improved structures, in the areas of special flood hazard shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map designated in § 123-6:

A Subdivision proposals. The following standards apply to all new subdivision proposals and other proposed development in areas of special flood hazard (including proposals for manufactured home and recreational vehicle parks and subdivisions):

(1) Proposals shall be consistent with the need to minimize flood damage.

(2) Public utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems, shall be located and constructed so as to minimize flood damage.

(3) Adequate drainage shall be provided to reduce exposure to flood damage.

B Encroachments.

(1) Within Zones A1-A30 and AE, on streams without a regulatory floodway, no new construction, substantial improvements or other development (including fill) shall be permitted unless:

i) The applicant demonstrates that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot at any location; or

ii) The Village of Ilion, Herkimer County, New York, agrees to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a conditional FIRM revision, FEMA approval is received and the applicant provides all necessary data, analyses and mapping and reimburses the Village of Ilion, Herkimer County, New York, for all fees and other costs in relation to the application. The applicant must also provide all data, analyses and mapping and reimburse the Village of Ilion, Herkimer County, New York, for all costs related to the final map revision.

(2) On streams with a regulatory floodway, as shown on the Flood Boundary and Floodway Map or the Flood Insurance Rate Map adopted in § 123-6, no new construction, substantial improvements or other development in the floodway (including fill) shall be permitted unless:

i) A technical evaluation by a licensed professional engineer shows that such an encroachment shall not result in any increase in flood levels during occurrence of the base flood; or

ii) The Village of Ilion, Herkimer County, New York, agrees to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a conditional FIRM and floodway revision, FEMA approval is received and the applicant provides all necessary data, analyses and mapping and reimburses the Village of Ilion, Herkimer County, New York, for all fees and other costs in relation to the application. The applicant must also provide all data, analyses and mapping and reimburse the Village of Ilion, Herkimer County, New York, for all costs related to the final map revisions.

§ 123-16. Standards for all structures

A Anchoring. New structures and substantial improvement to structures in areas of special flood hazard shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement during the base flood. This requirement is in addition to applicable state and local anchoring requirements for resisting wind forces.

B Construction materials and methods.

(1) New construction and substantial improvements to structures shall be constructed with materials and utility equipment resistant to flood damage.

(2) New construction and substantial improvements to structures shall be constructed using methods and practices that minimize flood damage.

(3) For enclosed areas below the lowest floor of a structure within Zones A1-A30, AE or AH, and also Zone A if base flood elevation data are available, new and substantially improved structures shall have fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that are useable solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a basement and which are subject to flooding, designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters.

i) Designs for meeting this requirement must either be certified by a licensed professional engineer or architect or meet or exceed the following minimum criteria:

(1) A minimum of two openings having a total net area of not less than one square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding; and

(2) The bottom of all such openings no higher than one foot above the lowest adjacent finished grade.

ii) Openings may be equipped with louvers, valves, screens or other coverings or devices, provided that they permit the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters. Enclosed areas subgrade on all sides are considered basements and are not permitted.

C Utilities.

(1) Machinery and equipment servicing a building must either be elevated to or above the base flood level or designed to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during a flood. This includes heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment, hot-water heaters, appliances, elevator lift machinery and electrical junction and circuit breaker boxes. When located below the base flood elevation, a professional engineer's or architect's certification of the design is required.

(2) New and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the system.

(3) New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters. Sanitary sewer and storm drainage systems for buildings that have openings below the base flood elevation shall be provided with automatic backflow valves or other automatic backflow devices that are installed in each discharge line passing through a building's exterior wall.

(4) on-site waste disposal systems shall be located to avoid impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding.

§ 123-17. Residential structures

A Elevation. The following standards, in addition to the standards in § 123-15A, Subdivision proposals, and § 123-15B, Encroachments, and § 123-16, Standards for all structures, apply to structures located in areas of special flood hazard as indicated:

(1) Within Zones A1-A30, AE and AH, and also Zone A if base flood elevation data are available, new construction and substantial improvements shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to or above the base flood level.

(2) Within Zone A, when no base flood elevation data are available, new and substantially improved structures shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade.

(3) Within Zone AO, new and substantially improved structures shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as the depth number specified in feet on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 123-6 (at least two feet if no depth number is specified).

(4) Within Zones AH and AO, adequate drainage paths are required to guide floodwaters around and away from proposed structures on slopes.

§ 123-18. Nonresidential structures

The following standards apply to new and substantially improved commercial, industrial and other nonresidential structures, in addition to the requirements in § 123-15A, Subdivision proposals, and § 123-15B, Encroachments, and § 123-16, Standards for all structures.

A Within Zones A1-A30, AE and AH, and also Zone A if base flood elevation data are available, new construction and substantial improvements of any nonresidential structure, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, shall either:

(1) Have the lowest floor, including basement or cellar, elevated to or above the base flood elevation; or

(2) Be floodproofed so that the structure is watertight below the base flood level with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water. All structural components located below the base flood level must be capable of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and the effects of buoyancy.

B Within Zone AO, new construction and substantial improvements of nonresidential structures shall:

(1) Have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as the depth number specified in feet on the community's FIRM (at least two feet if no depth number is specified); or

(2) Together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be completely floodproofed to that level to meet the floodproofing standard specified in § 123-18A(2).

C If the structure is to be floodproofed, a licensed professional engineer or architect shall develop and/or review structural design, specifications and plans for construction. A floodproofing certificate or other certification shall be provided to the local administrator that certifies the design and methods of construction are in accordance with accepted standards of practice for meeting the provisions of § 123-18A(2), including the specific elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which the structure is to be floodproofed.

D Within Zones AH and AO, adequate drainage paths are required to guide floodwaters around and away from proposed structures on slopes.

E Within Zone A, when no base flood elevation data are available, the lowest floor (including basement) shall be elevated at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade.

§ 123-19. Manufactured homes and recreational vehicles

The following standards in addition to the standards in § 123-15, General standards, and § 123-16, Standards for all structures, apply, as indicated, in areas of special flood hazard to manufactured homes and to recreational vehicles which are located in areas of special flood hazard.

A Recreational vehicles.

(1) Recreational vehicles placed on sites within Zones A1-A30, AE and AH shall either:

i) Be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days;

ii) Be fully licensed and ready for highway use; or

iii) Meet the requirements for manufactured homes in § 123-19B, D and E.

(2) A recreational vehicle is ready for highway use if it is on its wheels or jacking system, is attached to the site only by quick-disconnect-type utilities and security devices and has no permanently attached additions.

B A manufactured home that is placed or substantially improved in Zones A1-A30, AE and AH that is on a site either outside of an existing manufactured home park or subdivision as herein defined, in a new manufactured home park or subdivision as herein defined, in an expansion to an existing manufactured home park or subdivision as herein defined or in an existing manufactured home park or subdivision as herein defined on which a manufactured home has incurred substantial damage as the result of a flood shall be elevated on a permanent foundation such that the lowest floor is elevated to or above the base flood elevation and is securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist flotation, collapse and lateral movement. Elevation on piers consisting of dry stacked blocks is prohibited. Methods of anchoring may include, but are not limited to, use of over-the-top or frame ties to ground anchors.

C A manufactured home to be placed or substantially improved in Zone A1-A30, AE and AH in an existing manufactured home park or subdivision that is not to be placed on a site on which a manufactured home has incurred substantial damage shall be:

(1) Elevated in a manner such as required in § 123-19B; or

(2) Elevated such that the manufactured home chassis is supported by reinforced piers or other foundation elements of at least equivalent strength that are no less than 36 inches in height above grade and are securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement. Elevation on piers consisting of dry stacked blocks is prohibited.

D Within Zone A, when no base flood elevation data are available, new and substantially improved manufactured homes shall be elevated such that the manufactured home chassis is supported by reinforced piers or other foundation elements of at least equivalent strength that are no less than 36 inches in height above grade and are securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement. Elevation on piers consisting of dry stacked blocks is prohibited.

E Within Zone AO, the floor shall be elevated above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as the depth number specified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map enumerated in § 123-6 (at least two feet if no depth number is specified). Elevation on piers consisting of dry stacked blocks is prohibited.