zoneoptics
James City County Unincorporated, Virginia · General provision

Article XXV, Sec. 24-586 to 24-602

FloodplainAll James City County Unincorporated districts0

Dimensional standards

Servicing

Geographic extent
All property located within an area designated as a floodplainFloodplainLand expected to flood at a stated frequency, where building carries extra conditions. area

Uses

Prohibited9

Extracted standards

8 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.

Other

  • Natural unfilled building site elevation above flood elevation1 ft

    Lots created after February 6, 1991, which are within a non-coastal (non-tidal) floodplain district, shall contain a natural, unfilled building site at least one foot above the one percent annual chance (100-year) flood elevation adequate to accommodate all proposed buildings.

  • FillGrading (cut & fill)Reshaping land by removing earth (cut) or adding it (fill), often capped by volume. requirements

    The filling of land shall be designed and constructed to minimize obstruction to and effect upon the flow of water and more particularly that: a. Such fill will not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of a one percent annual chance (100-year) flood discharge. b. The flood-carrying capacity of the watercourse shall be maintained. Fill shall be effectively protected against erosion by vegetative cover, riprap, gabions, bulkhead or other acceptable method.

  • Lowest floor freeboard above 100-year flood elevation2 ft

    The finished elevation of the lowest floor, including the basement or cellar of any building, shall have at least two feet freeboard above the one percent annual chance (100-year) flood elevation.

  • Maximum accessoryAccessory useA secondary activity customarily incidental to the main use of the lot — a garage, a home office. structure floor area600 sqftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.

    Be limited to no more than 600 square feet in total floor area;

  • Replacement manufactured homeManufactured homeA dwelling built in a factory to a federal standard and transported to the site. anchoring

    Replacement manufactured homes shall be elevated on a permanent foundation in accordance with the construction standards identified in section 24-595. In floodplain areas, replacement manufactured homes shall be anchored to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement by providing over-the-top and frame ties to ground anchors.

  • Recreational vehicle maximum consecutive days180 days

    Recreational vehicles placed on sites must either be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days and be fully licensed and ready for highway use or meet requirements for placement, elevation and anchoring requirements for manufactured homes for the floodplain district in which the recreational vehicle is located.

  • Substantial improvement threshold50 pct

    The substantial improvement of any kind to a structure and/or use, regardless of its locations in a floodplain area, to an extent or amount of 50 percent or more of its market value shall be undertaken only in full compliance with the provisions of these regulations and the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and shall require that the entire structure be brought into full compliance with these provisions.

  • Watercourse modification

    The Federal Insurance Administrator, adjacent jurisdictions and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Dam Safety and Floodplain Management shall be notified and all federal and state permits shall be obtained prior to the alteration or relocation of any watercourse.

From the ordinance

These regulations shall apply to all property located within an area designated as a floodplain area, and as such shall supplement the regulations of the zoning district within which such property is located.
Article XXV, Sec. 24-586 to 24-602