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10 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I must be employed and the requirements of Sections 612.2.1 and 612.2.2 of the Flood-Proofing Regulations, as amended by SBC 203 must be followed. All flood-proofed structures, including those elevated on fill, should be evacuated during all major floods to assure the health and safety of the occupants. NEW RESIDENCES General. Structural flood-proofing of new residential structures located below the RFD is usually difficult because of high costs, structural limitations, and the uncertainties with respect to the occupant's safety. Such procedures should be employed only in those cases where there are no reasonable alter- natives, e.g., where restrictive lot sizes and location of existing streets and utilities make the use of fill for elevation of the entire structure above the RFD impractical. Generally, residential flood-proofing is prac- tical only at the edge of the flood plain (in the flood fringe area), where floods are of short duration, where shallow flooding (2 to 2~ feet) is experienced, where velocities are low, and where highly impervious soils exist. Precautions should be taken to ensure that there is sufficient flood warning to allow evacuation of structures. Communities in the National Flood Insurance Program must enact ordinances which require that residential structures in the Primary Flood Hazard Area be constructed so that the first floor and basement (if provided) are at or above the RFD unless the community is granted an exception by the Federal Insurance Administration. If this exception is granted, construction of basements or other spaces may be allowed be low the RFD. Figure 3 illustrates permitted uses and conditional use applications for residences under Zoning and State Building Code requirements. Because of the possibility of prolonged absences by the occupants, nonautomatic measures cannot be employed to achieve flood-proofing standards for residences. As a parallel requirement for all residential flood-proofing measures, whether by elevating the structure or by providing other flood damage preventive features, a plan of evacuation should be formulated, understood, and possibly rehearsed before the advent of a flood. Elevation. The most satisfactory flood-proofing measure for residences is elevating the entire building above the RFD. In all cases, the main living spaces of the residence must be at or above the RFD. Where fill is used to elevate, the top of the earth fill slope must be no more than one foot below the RFD and all fill should be protected up to the RFD by vegetation or stone, depending on exposure to flood velocities. Fill must extend at least 15 feet ...