I have a few projects coming up where a client wants to build a pole barn in the "100 year" flood zone. They are not in the floodway, just a regular flood hazard zone.
When asking our local flood administers we get a few different answers on where to set the floor elevation.
Can anyone clear this up or give me a FEMA reference to refer to?
Thank you
In my area non livable detached structures can be set at any elevation with the following conditions if set below the BFE..
1. Vents: it contains the required number and Sq. inches of vents.
2. No plumbing for a toilet.
3. Everything electrical, including switches and reciprocals have to be at or above the BFE.
4. Any mechanical equipment is at or above the BFE.
Definitely is one of those terribly local decisions. For example, in my unzoned county people can pretty much build what they want where they want, especially if unoccupied structures. A pole barn represents almost no "rise" in the water level. A solidly built garage with no vents and tight doors could cause a very minor rise due to the volume displaced. Again, practically nothing for a typical garage in a typical flood area of significant width. Common sense should prevent most people from doing incredibly stupid things like putting a six-car garage a couple of feet from an obvious floodway.
Houses and other occupied buildings with sanitary facilities get caught because of the requirement for the septic facilities to be pre-approved before contractors do any work.
In this neck of the woods we'd have to compensate for any volumetric changes on a vertical foot-by-foot basis which includes the volume loss of the poles. In other words no net loss of flood storage at any elevation at/below the BFE.
This will tell you absolutely nothing...except that local participating communities must require agricultural storage to be at or above the determined BFE.
http://www.fema.gov/agricultural-structure&apos ;">FEMA Agricultural Structures
Here houses main floors must be set 2' above the BFE but that is a local law. (I've heard it's NYS recommended)
A garage? I don't see how a garage can be required to be above a BFE. If the grade is 6 feet below the BFE I'd like to see a garage built to those specifications...... it would be a hovering garage and an insanely ridiculous looking driveway...
Sorry now I read you said barn... I don't even know what a pole barn is....
The origin of the term is that the support pillars are poles. Everything from cut off power poles to laminated 8 x 8's. A million and one applications in agriculture. May have one wall with siding or two sides or all sides. Very inexpensive.
Holy Cow, post: 373971, member: 50 wrote:
The origin of the term is that the support pillars are poles. Everything from cut off power poles to laminated 8 x 8's. A million and one applications in agriculture. May have one wall with siding or two sides or all sides. Very inexpensive.
I believe their original purpose of pole barns and hay sheds was "bait" for tornados. Placed in open areas the tornados naturally see them first and head toward them...missing the actual family home.
Wow. THAT is a pole barn? That's a roof over patio to me. I can't see how/believe they can require that above the BFE. There aren't even any mechanicals or walls...... water wouldn't even affect that thing