DO I NEED FLOOD BARRIERS?

It is necessary for your project to have flood barriers if it meets all three of the following requirements:

1. Is the structure located in a flood zone?
To determine this you will need to reference two documents, the Flood Insurance Rate Map and/or the Survey of the property in question:

• Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM):
This map will help determine if the property is in a flood zone, what the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) is for that area, and give references to the specific classification of that flood zone.
Please reference: What are the Flood Zone Classifications?
Only Buildings located in an “A” zone are permitted to be flood proofed, buildings within a “V” Zoned are not permitted to be flood proofed.
Residential structures are not permitted to be flood proofed.
FIRM maps are available at local municipal building departments or like agencies, insurance agencies, libraries, or one can be ordered from FEMA.
Or call
1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-6872)
Or write to
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Map Agency
P.O. Box 1038
Jessup, MD 20794-1038

• Survey of the Property:
This is a precise plan layout of the property, performed by a licensed surveyor. It will note all information pertinent to the property, including lot size, shape, boundaries, existing structures and reference points, government information, and elevations. Surveys are generally located at any local municipal government record agency.
Using the Survey, you can determine an elevation on the property by using elevation reference point marked on it. Once an elevation point is set, you can extrapolate all other property elevations from that point.
Once a base elevation height for the structure is established, it maybe compared to the Base Flood Elevation Base Flood Elevation (BFE): The height of the base flood, usually in feet, in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 or other datum as specified. (BFE). If this elevation number falls below BFE, than reference the lowest elevation of each of the openings in the structure. If any of the openings fall below BFE, then flood barriers may be required for this structure.
If the Survey is a fairly current document (post 1975), it should contain all of the information listed in on the FIRM. If this is the case, please reference: What are the Flood Zone Classifications?

2. Is your project a non-residential building (no residential use) or a mixed-use building that is professionally designed with all residential uses located above the Base Flood Elevation Base Flood Elevation (BFE): The height of the base flood, usually in feet, in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 or other datum as specified. (BFE)?

3. Is your project New Construction or a Substantial improvement Substantial improvement: Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the “start of construction” of the improvement. on an existing structure?
If you are building your structure from scratch or if the improvements of the project exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure, flood barriers may be required. It is necessary for your project to have flood barriers if it meets all three of the following requirements:

Definitions

Substantial Improvement:  Substantial improvement: Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the “start of construction” of the improvement. This term includes structures that have incurred “substantial damage”, regardless of actual repair work performed.

Base Flood Elevation: Base Flood Elevation (BFE): The height of the base flood, usually in feet, in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 or other datum as specified.