Zoning/ Flood Plain Question Ohio

[Ford850]

I think that is an option per FEMA regs...but not sure if locals buy into it. I think you need 1 inch of "free flow" or "venting" for every 1 square foot of floor space...and a few other criteria. Do you know how to get the elevation certificate? Does local person do it? Do I "hire" FEMA. This is likely the way I'll have to do it.

thanks, peter

Fema provides the form or template that is the elevation certificate. A licensed surveyor must complete the form and provide his seal. some surveyors specialize in completing these forms and others don't want to bother with them. Check with your building department for a list of local surveyors who do EC's. If you don't want to go back to that department yet, then you can call around to local surveyors and ask specifically if they do EC's. Get estimates, they vary a LOT depending how busy the surveyor is and how far they have to go to find a bench mark and the closest established BFE. Another option is to go to one of the several websites who provide the service of hiring the surveyor for you. You will pay more for that convenience, but they all tell you they are cheaper. Most of those services will provide a free estimate though. Here's a link to one of the companies:
http://www.ecnationwide.com/

 

[Tig]

I also have flood plain on my property and I am going through the permit process to build. The building department and the environment people are quite disconnected at times but each did warn me to talk to the other before proceeding. The only thing I can build on a flood plain is a boat house and they are very sticky about what a boat house is. ie; no garages that encroach on the flood plain.
My latest plans encroached on the flood plain and had to be revised. The environment survey was done under frozen conditions so accuracy was in question (by the surveyor). One of the options the inspector suggested to me was to hire a professional surveyor. The work of a professional surveyor would be accepted without question. In my case I am certain the surveyor would confirm what the inspector found so I won't go that route.
In both my last two projects I was able to talk with the inspector and discuss what I wanted to achieve. He was nice enough to explain the limits of what could be passed. I still could not comply completely but they were willing to to cut me some slack. 18" of slack exactly on my current permit. They say the rules are firm but at the same time they have some discretion if the wording is correct on the permit.
So if the local inspector is not approachable a surveyor may be the way to go, if you think you are really above the flood plain level.
By the way, around here barns and dwellings must be a mile apart, no exceptions.

 

[MarkV]

By the way, around here barns and dwellings must be a mile apart, no exceptions.

Tig are you saying that a farm that has less than a miles worth of land can not have a barn? Never heard of anything like that before.

MarkV

 

[SuperDuty335]

Just how close to the floodplain are you? Within feet? FEMA maps are notorious for being inaccurate, especially where I'm at. We have spent many years disproving FEMA maps for customers who were supposedly within a flood zone. If you have or know someone with a GPS have them take an elevation measurement where your barn is. This way you will know whether hiring a surveyor is necessary or not.

 

[2manyrocks]

We used to have issues with the maps. Seems like a property wouldn't be in the flood plain and then they'd change the map to put it in the flood plain.

What bugs me is that your codes office let you start without a permit and now is effectively saying "gotcha."

 

[Runner]

"What bugs me is that your codes office let you start without a permit and now is effectively saying "gotcha." "

It's not entirely the code's office's fault. The jurisdictions write their local ordinances with the intention of giving people a "break" for small things like sheds, play houses, ag buildings, or whatever and don't require them to get a building permit. However, the catch 22 is, even though you don't have to get a building permit, you are still obligated to build the improvement in accordance with the codes/ordinances in effect which includes observing the floodplain requirements.

Then, the water is further muddied (pardon the pun) by introducing an electrical service to the building that didn't require a permit. Whoever wrote the electrical permit (probably a clerk) may not have been familiar with every square inch of land in the jurisdiction so as to be able to recognize that it was in a floodplain just by looking at the address.

 

[ChrsDrn]

Could you put the power/ main panel on a pole outside your barn then place a sub panel inside your barn after power is hooked up?
Chris

 

[Ken45101]

Just how close to the floodplain are you? Within feet? FEMA maps are notorious for being inaccurate, especially where I'm at. We have spent many years disproving FEMA maps for customers who were supposedly within a flood zone. If you have or know someone with a GPS have them take an elevation measurement where your barn is. This way you will know whether hiring a surveyor is necessary or not.

That's the truth! Years ago we got a notice from the mortgage company that we had to buy flood insurance since we were in a flood plane. Hello!!!! The nearest little creak would have to rise 50 feet to reach us!

I wrote a strongly worded letter back and never heard another word.

Ken

 

[2manyrocks]

All the guy wants is electricity to his shed. What's the big deal that the inspector can't inspect his electrical work and issue a permit for this shed if the work is okay? If inspectors took this position everywhere, how could New Orleans ever be rebuilt? Are they supposed to live by candlelight from now on?

 

[EddieWalker]

Don't know your area or your regs, but I do know that just because it's not allowed, doesn't mean you can't force them to let you do it anyway. The trick is to get a variance that allows you to do it even if it's not legal. Mostly this happens when a building is too close the the property line or inside the setback. I've seen it done for all sorts of additions that were done without permits.

The usual process starts after you get caught. The city or county comes after you to removed the offending structure. They threaten all sorts of fines and tell you that you don't have any choice. Take it down.

Then if you go to your local politician, you might find that they can approve you regardless of what the law is. They make you jump through hoops, then you have to stand in front of them and tell them what you've done and why they should give you the variance. Then it's up to them to allow it or make you jump through more hoops.

Things like getting an engineer to inspect it and certify that it's up to code. If not, then you have to show that it's been brought up to code. Sometimes you have to get your neighbors to sign off on it. They just sing a petition that says they don't care and won't file a complaint.

Good luck,
Eddie