(a) The Mayor shall review all building permit applications for new construction or substantial improvements to determine whether proposed building sites will be reasonably safe from flooding. If a proposed building site is in a location that has flood hazard, the proposed new construction or substantial improvement (including prefabricated homes) must:
- (1) Be designed (or modified) and anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structure;
- (2) Use construction materials and utility equipment that are resistant to flood damage; and
- (3) Use construction methods and practices that will minimize flood damage.
(b)
- (1) The Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, may issue rules designating flood hazard areas in the District and requiring flood insurance as a condition of occupancy for the life of a new or substantially improved building in a flood hazard area.
(2) For the purposes of this subsection, the term:
(A) "Flood hazard area" means an area designated as:
- (i) A special flood hazard area or other area of flood hazard on the then-current flood insurance rate map for the District of Columbia issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; or
- (ii) An area of flood hazard, as determined by the Mayor by rule.
- (B) "Substantially improved building" means any building which has undergone any repair, alteration, addition, or improvement, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the building before the improvement or repair was started.
History
May 26, 1976, D.C. Law 1-64, § 2, 22 DCR 7146
Aug. 16, 2022, D.C. Law 24-151, § 2
Mayor's Orders
Authority under District of Columbia Applications Insurance Implementation Act delegated: See Mayor’s Order 84-193, November 2, 1984.
Delegation of Authority
Delegation of authority pursuant to D.C. Law 1-64, the “D.C. Applications Insurance Implementation Act”, see Mayor’s Order 98-46, April 15, 1998 ( 45 DCR 2691).
Prior Codifications
1973 Ed., § 5-1101.
1981 Ed., § 5-301.