2025-0147
INTRODUCED BY: MATTHEW JEWELL, PARISH PRESIDENT
(DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING)
ORDINANCE NO. __________
Title
An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981, Appendix A, as amended, Section XX. Flood damage prevention. E. Provisions for Flood Hazard Reduction: 2. Specific Standards: a. Residential construction:, to allow wet floodproofing residential accessory buildings up to 600 sq. ft.
Body
WHEREAS, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requires St. Charles Parish to enforce the General and Specific Standards in Section XX of the Zoning Ordinance; and,
WHEREAS, the Specific Standard for residential accessory buildings in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), is that any accessory building over 144 sq. ft. must be elevated to or above the base flood elevation; and,
WHEREAS, FEMA POLICY: Floodplain Management Requirements for Agricultural Structures and Accessory Structures (#104-008-03) allows wet-floodproofing of residential accessory buildings in "A" zones when they are "small and represent a minimal investment"; and,
WHEREAS, FEMA interprets small as up to 600 sq. ft., the size of a two-car garage; and,
WHEREAS, 600 sq. ft. is much larger than the Parish's current maximum sq. ft. of 144 sq. ft. for using this money-saving technique; and,
WHEREAS, the St. Charles Parish Council wishes to give residents more options to comply with NFIP requirements by increasing the Parish's maximum sq. ft. for wet-floodproofing of residential accessory buildings up to 600 sq. ft.
THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION I. The St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981, Appendix A, Section XX. Flood damage prevention. E. Provisions for Flood Hazard Reduction: 2. Specific Standards: a. Residential construction: is amended as follows with new text in underline and deleted text in strikethrough:
Residential construction: New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall...
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