Orange County NC Website
17 <br />b Meet all the requirements for new construction, including anchoring and <br />elevation requirements of Section 14.6 and 6.32.1 and subsection (3) of this <br />section. <br />6 Elevated BuildinQS. New construction or substantial improvements of elevated <br />buildings that include fuller enclosed areas that aze below the re ug latory flood <br />protection elevation shall not be designed to be used for human habitation, but shall be <br />designated to be used onl~for parking of vehicles. building access, or limited storage <br />of maintenance equipment used in connection with the premises, be constructed <br />entirely of flood resistant materials below the re ug_ latorv flood protection level in the <br />AE zone and meet the following design criteria: <br />a. Measures for complvin~ with this.. requirement shall be designed to <br />automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by <br />allowing_for the entry and exit of floodwaters. To meet this requirement,. <br />the foundation must either be certified by a North Carolina licensed <br />Professional Engineer or Architect or meet the following minimum design <br />criteria: <br />i. Provide a minimum of two openings on different sides of each enclosed <br />area subject to flooding; <br />ii. The total net area of all openings must be at least one (1) square inch for <br />each squaze foot of enclosed area subject to flooding; <br />iii. If a building has more than one enclosed azea, each azea must have <br />openings on exterior walls to allow floodwaters_to directly enter and <br />exit; <br />iv. The bottom of all required openings shall be no higher than one (1) foot <br />above the adjacent rg ade; <br />v. Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, or other opening <br />coverings or devices provided the~pernnit the automatic flow of <br />floodwaters in both directions: and <br />vi. Foundation enclosures made of flexible vinyl or sheet metal skirting are <br />not considered enclosures for re ug l~ry and flood insurance rating <br />purposes, and therefore, do not require openings. Masonry or wood <br />underpinning, regazdless of structural status, is considered an enclosure <br />and requires hydrostatic openings as outlined above to comply with this <br />Ordinance. <br />