§ 14.38.040. Administration.

A.

Administrative Official. It shall be the duty of the building official to administer and implement this chapter.

B.

Approval Process.

1.

A permit shall be obtained from the department before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard as established in Section 14.38.030(A). The permit shall be for all structures including manufactured homes, as set forth in Section 14.38.020, and for all development including fill and other activities, also as set forth in Section 14.38.020.

2.

When application for permit under Title 14 Building and Construction, or other county ordinance is made to the county for construction or development in flood hazard areas, the building official shall require supplementary information which may be needed to review the proposal for compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

3.

If the proposed construction or development requires no other permit, an application must be made for permit approval under the provisions of this chapter. Permit approval must be granted by the building official before any work can be performed in the flood hazard area.

4.

The approval period for any permit granted under provisions of this chapter is for no more than one hundred eighty days unless an inspection is approved for the work authorized by such permit within one hundred eighty days after its issuance. If permit approval is granted under other provisions of Title 14, the approval shall expire one hundred eighty days from the date of issuance.

Upon showing of good cause, such approval may be extended by the building official for another one-hundred-eighty-day period. Approved plans shall not be amended without authorization of the building official. The permit may be suspended or revoked by the building official because of incorrect information supplied or any violation of the provisions of this chapter.

C.

Application Information.

1.

Application shall be made on forms furnished by the county and may include, but not be limited to: site plans in duplicate drawn to scale specified by the county showing the nature, location, dimensions and elevations of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, fill, storage of materials and drainage facilities.

2.

A professional engineer or registered surveyor may be required to document site elevations or other information.

3.

The following information is required on all applications:

a.

Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the lowest floor (including basement) of all structures recorded on a current elevation certificate (FEMA Form 81-31);

b.

Elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any structure has been floodproofed;

c.

Certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the floodproofing criteria in Section 14.38.050(B)(2) have been met;

d.

Description of the extent to which any water course will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development.

4.

The building official may require that certain tests and other analytical studies be made prior to approval of construction or development proposals. The developer shall pay for or reimburse the county for the costs incurred in the conduct of such tests or studies and for the costs incurred by the county to engage technical consultants for review and interpretation of data and findings submitted by or on behalf of the developer.

D.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Building Official.

1.

Permit Review.

a.

Review all permit applications, conferring with the county engineer, environmental review officer, and other county personnel as may be appropriate, to determine that the requirements of this chapter have been satisfied;

b.

Review all permits applications to determine that all necessary permits have been obtained from those federal, state or local governmental agencies from which prior approval is required.

2.

Use of Other Base Flood Data. When base flood elevation data has not been provided by FEMA as noted in Section 14.38.030(A), the building official shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a federal, state or other source in order to administer Section 14.38.050.

3.

Interpretation. The building official shall make interpretations where needed, as to the exact location of the boundaries of the special flood hazard areas as shown in the flood insurance rate maps (e.g., where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions).

Interpretations may be appealed by the applicant following the procedure in Section 14.38.060.

4.

Alteration of Watercourses—Notification.

a.

Notify adjacent communities and the State Department of Ecology prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse, and submit evidence of such notification to FEMA;

b.

Require that maintenance is provided within the altered or relocated portion of the watercourse so that the flood-carrying capacity is not diminished.

5.

Information to be Obtained and Maintained—Other Reports.

a.

Where base flood elevation data is provided through the flood insurance study, FIRM, or required as in Section 14.38.040(D)(2), obtain and record on an elevation certificate (FEMA Form 81-31) the actual finished construction elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new or substantially improved structures, and whether or not the structure contains a basement.

b.

Non-residential only. For all new or substantially improved floodproofed non-residential structures:

i.

Verify and record the actual elevation to which the structure was floodproofed (in relation to current reference datum); and

ii.

Maintain the floodproofing certifications required in the project applications.

c.

Maintain for public inspection all records pertaining to the provisions of this chapter.

E.

Fees.

1.

Payment of fees. A permit shall not be valid until issued and until the fees prescribed by law have been paid, nor shall an amendment to a permit be released until the additional fee, if any, has been paid. Fees shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of this section and shall be as set forth in the fee schedules adopted by the jurisdiction.

2.

The fee for each permit shall be as set forth in the department fee schedule.

(Ord. No. 14388, § 1(Attach. 1), 8-3-2010; Ord. No. 14792, § 1(Att. A), 10-9-2012; Ord. No. 15648 , § 1(Att. A, § I), 8-7-2018)