FLOOD04455

• County: Statewide
• Community: State of Minnesota
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Flood-Proofing Administrative Manual for Minnesota
• Date: 1/1/1997
• Prepared By: US Army Corps of Engineers
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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B. LAND USE REGULATIONS AND THE STATE BUILDING CODE

Subdivision ordinances, zoning ordinances, and the State Building Code can
each playa significant role in minimizing future flood damages. Subdivision
ordinances regulate the platting of land into individual building lots and
can be used to insure that such lots contain buildable sites. Zoning
ordinances determine the use that can be made of a parcel of land. Under
certain conditions, the zoning ordinance may allow a flood-proofed building
to be constructed at a lower elevation than the regulatory flood level.
When this occurs, the flood-proofing provisions of the State Building Code
will ensure that the buildings are properly constructed to minimize flood
damage.

SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES

Subdivision ordinances that contain flood plain management provlslons require
that a developer design his subdivision plat so that each lot contains a
building site outside of the lOO-year flood plain; or as an alternative that
he provide such a site by filling a portion of each lot to a level no lower
than 1 foot below the RFD. Subdivision ordinances prohibit a developer from
placing fill in the floodway portion of the flood plain. He is required to
provide access to each lot by a road or street with a surface elevation no
lower than 2 feet below the RFD, and to provide driveways and walkways within
lots with surface elevations no lower than 1 foot below the RFD. All utilities
must be at or above the RFD or be adequately flood-proofed.

With these requirements, subdivision ordinances can substantially reduce the
need for flood-proofing measures by the buyer of a subdivision lot. Basements
in structures to be built on newly subdivided lots, however, while complying
with a current subdivision ordinance, may still require flood-proofing
measures under local flood plain zoning ordinances and/or the State Building
Code. Of significance to city and county officials is that subdivision
ordinances, by requiring flood resistant road and utility construction, can
minimize flood damage repair costs.

Subdivision ordinances are not retroactive. As a result, there are a large
number of undeveloped subdivided lots throughout the state which do not comply
with flood management requirements. There is also development on lands not
subdivided and thus not subject to these ordinances. However, all such develop-
ment would still be subject to the requirements of flood plain zoning ordinances
and thus may be also subject to flood-proofing regulations.

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