<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<baltimore-city-law heading="§ 3-4 Residential structures.">
  <section prefix="§" num="3-4" heading="Residential structures.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Elevation.">
      <para num="(1)">Every new or substantially improved residential structure, including a manufactured home, must have its lowest floor elevated to at least the flood-protection elevation.</para>
      <para num="(2)">The elevation of the lowest floor and the lowest elevation of machinery serving the structure  must be certified on an elevation certificate after the lowest floor and machinery are in place.</para>
      <para num="(3)">Every new or substantially improved residential structure must meet the requirements of &lt;cite data-path="|7|§3-14"&gt;§ 3-14 {“Enclosures below lowest floor or flood-protection elevation”} of this subtitle&lt;/cite&gt;.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Placement.">Every proposed structure must be placed on the lot so as to avoid location in the floodplain as much as possible.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Basements.">Basements are not permitted in new structures and substantial improvement of existing structures (including repair of substantial damage).</para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Enclosures below flood-protection elevation.">Enclosures below the flood-protection elevation shall be:<para num="(1)">used solely for parking of vehicles, limited storage and building access;</para>
      <para num="(2)">constructed using flood damage-resistant materials; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">provided with flood openings that meet the criteria listed under &lt;cite data-path="|7|§1-3|(a)"&gt;§ 1-3(a) {“Definitions: Floodproofing”} of this Division I&lt;/cite&gt;.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Expansions in tidal and nontidal floodplains.">Any horizontal expansion that increases the footprint and that is less than substantial must also have the lowest floor elevated to at least the flood-protection elevation.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1976/83, art. 7, §5(a)(3)</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">2000, art. 7, §3-4</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 92-134</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 11-516</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 14-208</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 21-020</annotation>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
