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<br />In Northeastern Illinois <br /> <br /> <br />Figure 2-1 Floodplain Regulation Requirements <br /> <br />The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is administered by the Federal Emergency <br />Management Agency (FEMA). As a condition of making flood insurance available for their <br />residents, communities have agreed to regulate new construction in the 100-year floodplain. To <br />reduce confusion, the 1 DO-year floodplain is called the "base floodplain' and the elevation of the <br />1 OO-year flood is known as the 'base flood elevation.' <br /> <br /> <br />The base floodplain is shown as the "Special Rood Hazard Area' on the Flood Insurance Rate <br />Map (FIRM) provided by FEMA. The base floodplain is designated as an 'A' Zone. The 500- <br />year floodplain is shown as a'S" Zone and areas above the 500-year flood level are shown as <br />"CO Zones. On newer maps, the Sand C zones are called 'X' zones. The designation as S, C, <br />or X Zone does not mean that the area is not subject to local drainage problems or overbank <br />flooding from streams or ditches smaller than the FEMA mapping criteria. <br /> <br />Additional floodplain regulatory requirements are set by state law and administered by the <br />Division of Water Resources. There are five major floodplain regulation requirements in <br />Northeastern Illinois. These are the minimum requirements. Cities and counties often have <br />additional or more restrictive regulations. <br /> <br />1. All development must have a permit from the community. 'Development" is defined as any <br />man-made change to the land, including new buildings, improvements to buildings, filling, <br />grading, mining, dredging, etc. <br /> <br />2. Only "appropriate uses' are allowed in the floodway. The floodway is the channel and <br />central portion of the floodplain that is needed to convey the base flood. Appropriate uses <br />include flood control structures, recreational facilities, detached garages and accessory <br />structures, f100dproofing activities, and other minor aherations. They do not include <br />buildings, building additions, fences, or storage of materials. Larger projects in the f100dway <br />require a permit from the Division of Water Resources. The resuh of this requirement is <br />that vacant f100dways will essentially remain as open space, free of insurable buildings or <br />other obstructions. <br /> <br />3. New buildings are allowed outside the f100dway, but they must be protected from damage <br />by the base flood. Residences must be elevated, preferably one or more feet above the <br />base flood elevation. Nonresidential buildings must be elevated or f1oodproofed. <br /> <br /> <br />4. When an addition, improvement or repair to an existing building is valued at more than 50% <br />of the value of the original building, then it is considered a substantial improvement. A <br />substantial improvement is treated as a new building. See also section 5.3.1 on substantial <br />damage requirements. <br /> <br />5. Any filling, building or other obstruction placed in the floodplain reduces the amount of <br />floodwater that can be stored. Developers must remove an equal or greater volume of fill to <br />compensate for the loss of storage. <br /> <br /> <br />Problems: As with any regulatory program, many property owners are not aware of <br />the need for pennits or may resist getting pennits, especially following a flood. Some <br />of the requirements, such as floodway construction criteria or substantial improvement <br />rules, can be technically complicated. However, assistance is available from FEMA <br />and OWR. <br />