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Zoning 8uildinqCodes A well~written and properly e~forced building code can effectively r~\lce damages to huildings in the flood plain during flood reriods. ;.. few of the requirements '/lhich should be specified in a building code to reduce flood damages are: prevent flotation of buildings from their foundations by requiring proper anchorage: establish base~ent elevations and minimum first floor elevations consistent with potential floads, require structural strength to withstand water pressure or high velocity of flowing water, restrict the use of materials which deteriorate rapidly when expo~ed to water, prohibit equip~ent that might be hasardous to life when submerged, such as a chemical storage. boilers or electrical equipment. floodway Oesionation A designated floadway is the area of the flood plain provided to convey a design frequency flood. 'rhe"designflood" often selected in connection with floodway determination is the lOO~ year frequency Intermediate Regional Flood. InterMSQfmaintaining a reasQnab1e balance between the advantages Qf reducing potential flood losses and the disadvantages of Qverly restricting land use, the Intermediate RegiQnal Flood's hcights and areal limits are con- sidered most practical fQr use in gaining the gQals ~ought through selective zQning. Constituting a legal tool that can be used to implement and enfQrce the detailed plans resulting from a land-use planning program. Selective zQning ensures the most beneficial use of flQQd plain lands while safeguarding the health, safety and welfare Qf the cQmmunity. Designated flood~ays MaY be reserved by establishing encroachlo>ent linN' that clearlydefir.e the flQQdwayaone. Oesig- r.atedfIQod"':lysshQuldbezQnedforthepurposeofpassingflQorl- waters and for other limited uses that dQ r~t conflict with that primary purpose. The utilization of flood plain lands adjacent tQ the Iloodw"y is lirnited only by the degice of floQddskdeemed allQwable (a deterMinatiQn Qf local goverr~ent) and the require- ments of the city's zoning criteria fQr the area. DevelQpment policies While all regUlatQry cQntrQls are valuable tools in com~ preI1ensiveflooddamagepreventiQnplar.ning,probablythen>:lst effective tool is ir. the area of develQpment policies. "FIQod conscious" gQvernmentalpQlicies that limit the e"tensiQn Qf pub lie roads, utilities and other services i~tQ flood prone arcas can play an important indirect role in shaping overall development. By IQcatinq "."blic f"ciliti,,~ a~'ay frQm flood pron.. ar",as, a 5Oft-~,,] 1 negative iFtlucn~e i~ prnj~cted whi~h en~ourage~ t~e Qccupancy Qf higher and safer grQund. 5ubdivisiQnRegulatlQns SubdivisiQn regulatioe~ a~e used by lQcal .qovcrr~ent~ to specify the manner in whiCh land may be dividea. They may state tll" required ",'idtrl uf ,;\..t""L;., t",!llh~"'''llt~ ["l; ""rb~ ;l,.d guttc..~, FtoodPrQofing flOGd prQofing is ~ combinatiQn of structllral Changes and a(ljustrn€nt~ tQ prop"rtie~ subject to flooding primarily for the reduction lOr ~li~ination of fl~orl d~rn~g~~. ~LthQugh it 15 easier a"d more ~conomical1y "ppli~d to ne"" const"uct.ion, flQod proofing is alSQ applicable tQ e"i~ting fa~ilities. An ex~mple Qf a flood- prQQfed building Ls ~epictcd on the folLowing page. A useful <r.lide. "J:ntrQduction to flood Proofing," pre- p~r"d by th.. C"nter for ,:rhar. .Studi...., 1jniv~rsit..,. of C'"licaqo, ur.der ~ize of IQt, elevatiQn of L"nd, freedom frQm floodin.:;. size of flood- ways ~r.d other points pertinent to the health, safety ~nd welfare cf the community. ~hese regulations provide an effective means of CQn- trolling construction ar.d preserving f1oodway" in .resently u~devel~ lOped flood plain areas. " "