Board of Adjustment Agenda and Packet 2011 08 17

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2 • The site can be developed to be fully in compliance with City of Louisville floodplain zoning criteria without extraordinary measures with regard to flood mitigation measures. • A Base Flood Elevation of 5308.1 (NGVD 1929) has been determined for the existing building location. • Based on a recently completed elevation certificate, it appears that the existing building located on Lot 1 was constructed on fill and is sufficiently elevated over the pre-existing grade to meet the required two foot elevation above the flood depth number over existing grade requirement (5307' + 1' + 2'=5310 ). In addition, the existing lowest floor elevation of 5310.6 feet is approximately 2.5 feet higher than the projected base flood elevation of 5308.1 feet. Any substantial improvement or expansion to the existing building should meet the floodplain development requirements of the City of Louisville, as long as the lowest floor elevation of any new construction is no lower than the existing building lowest floor elevation. • City of Louisville regulations do not require that a FEMA floodplain Letter ofMap Revision or Conditional Letter ofMap Revision be submitted or approved prior to development of the site. We recommend the following with respect to site development: • Any new building, redevelopment of the site, or enlargement of the existing building should be based on a plan that provides for elevation of buildings lowest floors a minimum of three feet above existing site grades. Site grading should provide adequate slope away from buildings and routing of stormwater flows adequate to prevent exposure to damage from all stormwater flows. Such a site design should insure the ability to obtain floodplain development permit(s) from the City of Louisville. • Based on this analysis, it may be possible to dispute the location of the flood regulatory district by hearing before the City of Louisville Board of Adjustment (Section 17.56.190 of the city code) and if successful, not be required to obtain a floodplain development permit prior to development. However, since it is required that the evidence clearly and conclusively establishes that the mapped location of the boundary lines are incorrect, and if not successful, the floodplain development permit process (with the same board) will be necessary, we would recommend foregoing the dispute process and instead just apply directly for the floodplain development permit (it will probably be easier and less costly to obtain the floodplain development permit than prepare the study and process a FEMA floodplain revision necessary to dispute the boundary location). • Since the City has indicated that a future phase of the Drainageway A drainage and floodplain mitigation project will potentially result in the elimination of the Zone A floodplain that the site is currently within, we would not recommend funding the study and application for a FEMA LOMR at this time. The LOMR would be funded and completed as part of the future Drainageway A project, and would be based on as -built conditions once the improvements are completed. 7115 Dry Creek Court Niwot, Colorado 80503 Phone: 720-231-3251 CURTPARKER55@hotmail.com