Building officials, developers, engineers, architects, and others are anticipating the next edition of the Florida Building Code, 5th Edition, effective December 31, 2017. Many projects to repair flood damage or to rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Irma and other flooding events may be subject to this edition of the Code.
Nearly all of Florida’s flood -prone local jurisdictions participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and, along with the FBC, enforce local floodplain management regulations that must be coordinated with the FBC. Any community that has not yet adopted a flood ordinance coordinated with the FBC or has adopted an ordinance not reviewed by DEM is asked to follow up with us as soon as possible.
The State Floodplain Management Office, a unit of DEM, supports local officials, design professionals and others with excerpts of the flood provisions in the FBC (including a summary of the changes between the 5th and 5th editions) and a summary of the flood design standards referenced by the FBC. Please go to www.floridadisaster.org/Mitigation, State Floodplain Management Office webpage to access the above information.
The webpage also directs readers to two fact sheets prepared by Building A Safer Florida. One fact sheet describes the flood provisions in the FBC, key elements of flood resistant construction, flood hazard areas and flood conditions, and highlights the changes. The other fact sheet describes revisions to the Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) provisions in the FBC that more closely align with the existing coastal high hazard areas requirements.
To access a primer on flood resistant construction, view or download the Florida Quick Guide for Floodplain Management, visit the State Floodplain Management Office page at www.floridadisaster.org/Mitigation.
For more information, contact: floods@em.myflorida.com • 850-815-4555
Click here to view official notice.