Orange County NC Website
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 Buildings. New construction or substantial improvements of elevated <br />buildings that include fully enclosed areas that are below the regulatory flood <br />protection elevation shall not be designed to be used for human habitation but shall be <br />designated to be used only for narking 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 regulatory flood protection level in the <br />AE zone and meet the following design criteria: <br />a. Measures for complying 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 square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding; <br />iii. If a building has more than one enclosed area each area must have <br />openings on exterior walls to allow floodwaters to directly enter and <br />D& <br />iv. The bottom of all required openings shall be no higher than one (1) foot <br />above the adjacent rgrade; <br />v. Openings may bee equipped with screens louvers or other opening <br />coverings or devices provided they permit the automatic flow of <br />floodwaters in both directions; and <br />vi. Foundation enclosures made of flexible vinyl or sheet metal skirting aoe <br />not considered enclosures for regulatory and flood insurance rating <br />purposes and therefore do not require openings. Masonry or wood <br />underpinning, regardless of structural status is considered an enclosure <br />and requires hydrostatic openings as outlined above to comply with this <br />Ordinance. <br />