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Article 6: Development Standards <br /> Section 6.21: Flood Regulations <br /> <br /> <br />Orange County, North Carolina – Unified Development Ordinance Page 6-153 <br /> <br />(b) Such spaces shall be constructed entirely of flood resistant materials <br />below the regulatory flood protection level in the AE zone and meet the <br />following criteria: <br />(i) Shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood <br />forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of <br />floodwaters. To meet this requirement, the foundation must <br />either be certified by a North Carolina licensed Professional <br />Engineer or Architect or meet the following minimum design <br />criteria: <br />a. Provide a minimum of two openings on different sides of <br />each enclosed area subject to flooding; <br />b. The total net area of all openings must be at least one <br />square inch for each square foot of enclosed area <br />subject to flooding; <br />c. If a building has more than one enclosed area, each <br />area must have openings on exterior walls to allow <br />floodwaters to directly enter and exit; <br />d. The bottom of all required openings shall be no higher <br />than one foot above the adjacent grade; <br />e. Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, or <br />other opening coverings or devices provided they permit <br />the automatic flow of floodwaters in both directions; and <br />f. Foundation enclosures made of flexible vinyl or sheet <br />metal skirting are not considered enclosures for <br />regulatory and flood insurance rating purposes, and <br />therefore, do not require openings. Masonry or wood <br />underpinning, regardless of structural status, is <br />considered an enclosure and requires hydrostatic <br />openings as outlined above to comply with this <br />Ordinance. <br />(ii) The enclosed areas shall be used solely for parking of vehicles, <br />building access, or storage. <br />(iii) Access to the enclosed area shall be the minimum necessary to <br />allow for parking of vehicles (garage door) or limited storage of <br />maintenance equipment used in connection with the premises <br />(standard exterior door) or entry to the living area (stairway or <br />elevator). <br />(iv) The interior portion of such enclosed area shall not be partitioned <br />or finished into separate rooms. <br />(v) Property owners shall be required to execute and record a non- <br />conversion agreement prior to issuance of a building permit <br />declaring that the area below the lowest floor shall not be <br />improved, finished, or otherwise converted to habitable space. <br />Orange County shall have the right to inspect the enclosed area <br />on an annual basis to confirm compliance with this agreement. <br />This agreement shall be recorded within the Orange County <br />Registrar of Deeds and shall transfer with the property in <br />perpetuity.37 <br /> <br />37 This is new, optional, language referenced within the FEMA model flood ordinance staff is recommending for  <br />adoption.  Implementation of this provision will result in additional credits for Orange County through the  <br />Community Rating System (CRS) program, which helps to reduce flood insurance premiums for local residents  <br />through the enforcement of flood damage prevention policies and regulations.  Our continued efforts over the  <br />years have resulted in a 20% reduction in flood insurance premiums for local policy holders.  <br /> 74