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JAN 2 7 1987 aooK. 67 UGE13 DESCRIPTION & CONDITIONS On November 3, 1986, Indian River County received a letter from the Florida Department of Community Affairs explaining that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had revised the National Flood Insurance Program (NPIP) regulations, effective October 1, 1986. These rules conclude a two-year effort to revise NFIP criteria to reflect the experience and knowledge gained implementing these criteria during the nearly ten years since the last significant changes became effective. Section 60.7 of the NFIP regulations requires, as a condition of continued participation in the NFIP, that communities revise their local floodplain management ordinances within six months of the effective date of any revision in NFIP regulations, in order to keep them consistent with NFIP regulations. Consequently, Indian River County is required to amend its local floodplain management ordinance by April 1, 1987. ALTERNATIVES & ANALYSIS - The proposed ordinance amendments contain substantial changes regarding the following areas of local flood protection: 1) Revised definitions of "construction", "lowest floor," "manufactured home, subdivision & park," and If substantial improvement;" 2) more specific criteria for structure elevation within unnumbered A zones; 3) more stringent construction requirements for new structures and improvements with enclosed areas below the lowest floor subject to flood; 4) additional requirements for all manufactured homes that are placed or substantially improved within an A zone; 5) more stringent criteria for the construction of structures within V high hazard zones. 6) removal of the additional one foot elevation by the County. I. Revised Definitions The FEMA regulations require that several new and revised definitional terms for floodproofing activities be added to the current ordinance. The following is a brief explanation of the definitional terms and their signi- ficance. Construction (or Start of) - This definition is used to clarify when construction is considered new construction - or what constitutes substantial improvement to an existing structure. The definition sets forth specific standards so that all reviewing agencies can determine if a particular structure must comply with FEMA regulations or if it is "grandfathered." Lowest Floor - The definition of "lowest floor" has been clarified to exclude basements not used as living space. 73