Effective October 2008 the State of Florida will adopt the 2007 Florida Building Code. While this code is based on the International Code Council family of Codes, the State of Florida has made more than 2000 changes to the 2006 International Building Code to create the 2007 Florida Building Code. Fortunately though, there are only a few changes with respect to the 2004 Florida Building Code and revisions. Perhaps the greatest departure that the Florida Building Code makes with respect to the International Building Code is the near elimination of all references to floods and flood resistant design & construction.

Section 1612 of the International Building Code requires that the designer factor in all anticipated loads on a structure consistent with the flood data shown on the respective Community’s Flood Panels. Further it is required that the design comply with ASTM 24-05 Flood Resistant Design and Construction. Beyond this there exists other information and additional definitions to insure compliance with the FEMA minimums.

The Florida Building Code however, continues to leave flood design and analysis, landward of the Coastal Construction Control Line (or not effecting Hospitals and Schools) to be policed by FEMA and not the Building Code. While many of the words used within FEMA’s floodplain management are listed in the definitions section of the Florida Building Code the definitions are “deferred”. In fact, even Section 1612 has been re-titled within the Florida Building Code and deals with the High Velocity Hurricane Zone.

Within Florida, flood prone and coastal area construction is to comply with both the requirements of the Florida Building Code for non-flood related matters and FEMA’s Coastal Construction Guidelines all flood related matters. This disconnect often leaves the design and restoration professional with differing and confusing interpretations being enforced by Building and Flood Plain Management Officials.

As can happen, homeowners who’s homes are designed only to meet Florida Building Code requirements find that costly changes are sometimes required to meet another set of structural rules based on FEMA criteria. Anticipated flood related loads and/or FEMA’s requirements need to be considered in the original design. Further it is the design professional’s responsibility to include or address them in his design.

References for Design in Flood Prone and Coastal Areas: The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations (44 CFR parts 59-78) FEMA’s Coastal Construction Design Manual FEMA’s User’s Guide to Technical Bulletins ASCE/SEI 24-05 Flood Resistant Design and Construction

If you would like more information on these and other code concerns, please contact Gary Pailthorp at gpailthorp@brackenengineering.com.

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