§ 72-748. Administration.

(a)

Permit procedures. Application for a development permit shall be made to the floodplain administrator on forms furnished by him or her prior to any development activities, and may include, but not be limited to, the following plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevations of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, earthen fill, storage of materials and equipment, drainage facilities, and the location of the foregoing. Specifically, the following information is required:

(1)

Application stage:

a.

Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the proposed lowest floor (including basement) of all buildings;

b.

Elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any nonresidential building will be floodproofed;

c.

Certificate from a Florida registered professional engineer or architect that the nonresidential floodproofed building will meet the floodproofing criteria in subsection 72-748(a)(2) and subsection 72-749(b)(2);

d.

Description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development;

e.

Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the base flood elevation; and

f.

Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor and provide a certification from a registered engineer or architect indicating that they have developed and or reviewed the structural designs, specifications and plans of the construction and certified that they are in accordance with accepted standards of practice in coastal high hazard areas.

(2)

Construction stage:

a.

Upon placement of the lowest floor, or floodproofing by any construction means, or placement of the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member, the permit holder shall submit to the floodplain administrator a certification of the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (hereinafter "NGVD") or North American Vertical Datum (hereinafter "NAVD") elevation of the lowest floor or floodproofed elevation, or bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member as built, in relation to mean sea level. Said certification shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a Florida registered land surveyor or professional engineer and certified by same. When floodproofing is utilized for a particular building, said certification shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a professional engineer or architect and certified by same. Any work undertaken prior to submission of the certification shall be at the permit holder's risk. The floodplain administrator shall review the lowest floor and floodproofing elevation survey data submitted. The permit holder shall, immediately and prior to further progressive work being permitted to proceed, correct violations detected by such review. Failure to submit the construction stage elevation certificate and failure to make said corrections required hereby, shall be cause to issue a stop-work order for the project.

(3)

Final stage:

a.

Upon project completion, the permit holder shall submit to the floodplain administrator a final stage elevation certificate prepared by or under the direct supervision of a Florida registered land surveyor or professional engineer and certified by same. When floodproofing is utilized for a particular building, said certification shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of a professional engineer or architect and certified by same. Any work undertaken prior to submission of this certification shall be at the permit holder's risk. The floodplain administrator shall review the lowest floor and floodproofing elevation survey data submitted. The permit holder immediately, and prior to the certificate of occupancy being issued, shall correct violations detected by such review. Failure to submit the final stage elevation certificate, and failure to make corrections required hereby, shall be cause to withhold issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the project.

(b)

Duties and responsibilities of the floodplain administrator. Duties of the administrator shall include, but are not be limited to:

(1)

Review permits to assure sites are reasonably safe from flooding;

(2)

Review all development permits to assure that the permit requirements of this division have been satisfied;

(3)

Require copies of additional federal, State of Florida, or local permits, especially as they relate to F.S. chs. 161; 320; 373; 380; 381; and F.S. ch. 553, pt. IV, be submitted along with the development permit application and maintain such permits on file with the development permit;

(4)

Require applicant to notify adjacent communities, the department of community affairs, division of emergency management, the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal and State of Florida agencies with statutory or regulatory authority prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse;

(5)

Assure that applicant provides for maintenance within all altered and relocated portions of any watercourse so that the flood-carrying capacity is maintained;

(6)

Verify and record the actual elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (A-zones) or bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor (V-zones) of all new and substantially improved buildings, in accordance with subsections 72-749(b)(1) and (2) and subsection 72-749(e)(2), respectively;

(7)

Verify and record the actual elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which the new or substantially improved buildings have been floodproofed, in accordance with subsection 72-749(b)(2);

(8)

Review certified plans and specifications for compliance. When floodproofing is utilized for a particular building, certification shall be obtained from a registered engineer or architect certifying that all areas of the building below the required elevation are watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water, and structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and the effects of buoyancy in compliance with subsection 72-749(b) of this division, will be utilized. In coastal high hazard areas, certification shall be obtained from a registered professional engineer or architect that the building is designed and securely anchored to pilings or columns in order to withstand velocity waters and hurricane wave wash. Additionally in coastal high hazard areas, if the area below the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor is enclosed, certify that it will be done so with open wood lattice and insect screening or with nonsupporting breakaway walls that meet the standards of subsection 72-749(e);

(9)

Interpret the exact location of boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard. When there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions, the floodplain administrator shall make the necessary interpretation. The person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as provided in this division;

(10)

When base flood elevation data or floodway data have not been determined as set forth in subsection 72-746(b), the floodplain administrator shall reasonably utilize any submitted base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal source, State of Florida source, local government source, or a Florida registered engineer in order to administer the provisions of section 72-749;

(11)

Coordinate all change requests to the FIS, FIRM and flood boundary floodway map (hereinafter "FBFM") with the requester, State of Florida, and FEMA;

(12)

Where base flood elevation is utilized, obtain and maintain records of lowest floor and floodproofing elevations for new construction and substantial improvements in accordance with subsections 72-749(b)(1) and (2), respectively; and

(13)

Verify that the developer or applicant notify FEMA of changes in the base flood elevation, no later than six months after the date such information becomes available, by submitting technical or scientific data so risk premium rates and floodplain management can be based on current data.

(Ord. No. 2011-24, § I, 9-8-11)