National Flood Insurance Progam (NFIP) regulations require coastal communities to ensure that buildings built in V Zones are anchored to resist wind and water loads acting simultaneously. Buildings in V Zones are subject to a greater hazard than buildings built in other types of floodplains. Not only do they have to be elevated above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), they must be protected from the impact of waves, hurricane-force winds and erosion.
A registered professional engineer or architect must certify that the design and planned methods of construction meet NFIP requirements. The community must maintain a copy of this certification in the permit file for all structures built or substantially improved in the V Zone.
If breakaway walls are used to enclose areas below the building that exceed a design safe loading resistance of 20 pounds per square feet, those walls must also be certified by the registered professional engineer or architect.
National Flood Insurance Program Requirements
- 60.3 - Flood plain management criteria for flood-prone areas
- (e)(4) - V Zone Anchoring Requirement
- (e)(5) - Breakaway Wall Requirement