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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 6-155 <br /> <br />(9) Additions/Improvements <br />(a) Where a fire wall or independent perimeter load-bearing wall is provided <br />between the addition and the existing building, the addition(s) shall be <br />considered a separate building and only the addition need comply with <br />the standards for new construction. <br />(b) Pre-FIRM Structures <br />(i) For additions and/or improvements, in combination with any <br />interior modifications to the existing structure, that are not <br />considered a substantial improvement, as defined, and do not <br />require a zoning or building permit, the addition and/or <br />improvements shall be designed to minimize flood damages and <br />shall not be any more non-conforming than the existing structure. <br />(ii) For additions and/or improvements, in combination with any <br />interior modifications to the existing structure, that are <br />considered a substantial improvement as defined, requiring a <br />zoning or building permit, both the existing structure and the <br />addition and/or improvements shall comply with the standards for <br />new construction. <br />(c) Post-FIRM Structures <br />(i) Additions to post-FIRM structures with no modifications to the <br />existing structure shall require only the addition to comply with <br />the standards for new construction. <br />(ii) For additions and/or improvements, in combination with any <br />interior modifications to the existing structure, that are not <br />considered a substantial improvement, the addition and/or <br />improvements only must comply with the standards for new <br />construction. <br />(iii) For additions and/or improvements, in combination with any <br />interior modifications to the existing structure, that are <br />considered a substantial improvement, both the existing <br />structure and the addition and/or improvements must comply <br />with the standards for new construction. <br />(d) 39Any combination of repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or <br />improvement of a building or structure taking place during a five year <br />period, the cumulative cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the <br />market value of the structure before the improvement or repair is started <br />must comply with the standards for new construction. For each building <br />or structure, the 5 year period begins on the date of the first improvement <br />or repair of that building or structure subsequent to the effective date of <br />this ordinance. Substantial damage also means flood-related damage <br />sustained by a structure on two separate occasions during a 10-year <br />period for which the cost of repairs at the time of each such flood event, <br />on the average, equals or exceeds 25 percent of the market value of the <br />structure before the damage occurred. If the structure has sustained <br />substantial damage, any repairs are considered substantial improvement <br />regardless of the actual repair work performed. The requirement does <br />not, however, include either: <br /> <br />39 This provision is optional, but will be required for flood insurance policy holders to be eligible for Increased Cost  <br />of Compliance (ICC) benefits for repetitive losses.  From staff’s perspective the addition of this standard is essential  <br />to ensure local property owners within flood insurance are continuing to be eligible for applicable benefits under  <br />their flood policies.  <br /> 76