Dimensional standards
Housing
- Two-family
- by_right
- Three-family
- by_right
- Four-plus family
- by_right
Servicing
- Applies near
- Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs)
- Geographic extent
- Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) as delineated on the FIS and FIRM for the City prepared by FEMA, dated September 28, 2007, and any subsequent revisions or amendments thereto.
Uses
Permitted by right4
- Agricultural operations, such as farming, pasture, grazing, outdoor plant nurseries, horticulture, forestry, sod farming, and wild crop harvesting
- Public and private recreational uses such as parks, picnic grounds, golf courses, boat launching or swimming areas, hiking or horseback riding trails, wildlife and nature preserves, fishing areas, and trap and skeet game ranges
- Botanical gardens
- Accessory residential uses such as yard areas, gardens, and play areas
Conditional / special use5
- Accessory structures related to the uses set forth in subsections (ii)(1) through (ii)(4)
- Utilities distribution: gas/electric compressor station or substation, or water pump/lift station
- Sewage treatment facility or water treatment facility
- Quarry and mining operations, including excavation of sand, gravel, or clay
- Change of a nonconforming use in the floodway to another use not permitted in the floodway
Prohibited1
- Encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, or other development within the floodway unless it is demonstrated through hydrologic and hydraulic analysis that the proposed encroachment will not result in any increase in flood levels
Extracted standards
23 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Floodplain
- Anchoring
New construction and substantial improvements shall be built according to this section and the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, and anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement of the structure.
- Enclosed area openings1 sq in per sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.
The total net area of all openings must be at least one (1) square inch for each square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding.
- Enclosed area openings - bottom heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.1 ft
The bottom of all required openings shall be no higher than one (1) foot above the adjacent grade.
- Space below lowest floor use
Fully enclosed areas, of new construction or substantially improved structures, which are below the regulatory flood protection elevation shall: (i) Not be designed or used for human habitation, but shall be used solely for parking of vehicles, building access, or limited storage of maintenance equipment used in connection with the premises.
- Flood carrying capacity
The flood carrying capacity within an altered or relocated portion of any watercourse shall be maintained.
- Flood damage minimization
New construction or substantial improvements shall be constructed by methods and practices that minimize flood damage.
- Flood-resistant materials
New construction and substantial improvements shall be constructed with materials and utility equipment resistant to flood damage.
- Floodproofing alternative (Non-residential)
Non-residential buildings located in all A1-30, AE, and AH zones may be flood-proofed in lieu of being elevated provided that all areas of the building components below the elevation corresponding to the BFE plus twenty-four (24) inches of freeboard are water tight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water, and use structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and the effect of buoyancy.
- Floodway encroachment analysis
Within any floodway area, no encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, or other development shall be permitted unless it has been demonstrated through hydrologic and hydraulic analysis performed in accordance with standard engineering practice that the proposed encroachment will not result in any increase in flood levels within the community during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
- Floodway encroachment analysis
Until a regulatory floodway is designated, no new construction, substantial improvements, or other development (including fill) shall be permitted within the areas of special flood hazard, designated as Zones A1-30, AE, or AH on the FIRM, unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one (1) foot at any point within the City.
- Freeboard requirement2 ft
In addition, all electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning equipment, and other service facilities, including ductwork, for new construction or substantial improvement shall be elevated or floodproofed to two (2) feet above the base flood elevation, also known as two (2) feet of freeboard.
- Lowest floor elevation (A Zones)24 inches
When such base flood elevation data is utilized, the lowest floor shall be elevated to or above the base flood level plus twenty four (24) inches, or flood proofed to such level when applicable.
- Lowest floor elevation (AO Zones - Residential)2 ft
All new construction and substantial improvements of residential structures shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to two (2) feet above the flood depth specified on the FIRM.
- Lowest floor elevation (AO Zones - Non-Residential)2 ft
All new construction and substantial improvements of non-residential structures shall: (1) Have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to two (2) feet above the flood depth specified on the FIRM.
- Lowest floor elevation (A1-30, AE, AH, A with detailed BFE)24 inches
New construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure in Zones A1-30, AE, AH and A with detailed base flood elevations shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to or above the base flood level plus twenty-four (24) inches of freeboard.
Manufactured homes shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement.
- On-site waste disposal systems
On-site waste disposal systems shall be located and constructed to avoid impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding.
- Recreational vehicle requirements180 days
All recreational vehicles placed on sites must either: (1) Be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days, be fully licensed and ready for highway use...; or (2) Meet all the requirements for manufactured homes in subsection (e)(3)(D)(i).
- Sanitary sewage systems
New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the systems and discharges from the systems into flood waters.
- Utility equipment
New electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning equipment and other service facilities, including duct work, shall be designed and/or located so as to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding.
Variances shall be issued only upon (i) a showing of good and sufficient cause, (ii) after the Board of Zoning Appeals has determined that failure to grant the variance would result in exceptional hardship to the applicant, and (iii) after the Board of Zoning Appeals has determined that the granting of such variance will not result in unacceptable or prohibited increases in flood heights, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense; and will not create nuisances, cause fraud or victimization of the public, or conflict with local laws or ordinances.
- Water supply systems
New and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system.
- Watercourse alteration permits
Prior to any proposed alteration or relocation of any channels or of any watercourse, stream, etc., within this jurisdiction a permit shall be obtained from the U.S. Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
From the ordinance
The various special flood hazard districts shall include the SFHAs. The basis for the delineation of these districts shall be the FIS and the FIRM for the City prepared by FEMA...
Use details
{
"dropped_conditions": {
"conditional_uses": [
"Storage of materials and equipment provided that they are not buoyant, flammable, toxic, hazardous, or explosive",
"Placement or storage of a recreational vehicle, provided such recreational vehicle is on the site for fewer than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days"
]
}
}