Flood Plain Management

PART 1 - PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

PART 2 -- USE OF TERMS

1. "Expansions" of a structure" means an addition attached to, but outside of, either the vertical or horizontal confines of the existing structure or below the first floor level of a building elevtyed on posts or piers, but which is not a "substantial improvement" as defined by these Regulations.
   
2. "Expansion of a manufactured home park or subdivision" means the making of any additional manufactrured home lots or spaces within an existing manufactured home park or on land adjoining an existing manufactuired home lot.
   
3. "Expansion to an existing manufactured home park of subdivision" means the preparation of additional sites by the construction of facilities for servicing the lots on which the manufactured homes are to be affixed (including the installation of utilities, either final site grading or pouring of concrete pads, and the construction of streets).

1. "Floodway" means the cchannel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved to carry and discharge the base flood.
   
2. "Floodway Encroachment Lines" are the lines marking the limits of the floodways on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for Harris County supplied by the Federal Emergency MAnagement Agency (FEMA).

PART 3 - GERNERAL PROVISIONS

1. The flood study is forwarded to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and a conditional letter of Map Revision of the study is obtained from FEMA.
2. Documentation is presented to the County Engineer indicating the channel modifications will be completed withing two (2) years of issuance of permits.
3. Prospective buyers will be advised of the traditional aspects of the base flood elevations and prevailing flood insurance rates. The developer and/or builder in his written statement to the prospective buyer will recite the base flood elevations prior to and after the completion of said channel or ther structural modifications. A copy of this statement will accompany the submittal of each building permit application.

PART 4 - PERMITS

1. Two copies of a site plan detailing the dimensions of the property to be developed and showing the postion of the development on the property along with a suffucuent description to locate the property/ The site plan shall be to scale of have sufficient dimensioning to clearly detail the location of the development. The County Engineer may require submittal of a survey map and metes and bounds description of the property to be developed.
   
   
2. One copy of a drawing generally detailing the shape and size of the development proposed.
   
   
3. Proof in the form of drawing approval or other written notification that all requirements of the Harris County Flood Control District and Harris County have been met. (The construction of a single family dwelling and accessory structures on an existing pre-developed tract of land is exempted).
   
   Included in these Regulations are those requirements contained in that section entitled "Flood Plain Development Guidelines and Proceedures" of the Criterieal Manual for the Design of Flood Control and Drainage Facilities in Harris County, Texas.
   
   
4. On developments where a Class "II" permit is to be issued the following must be submitted:
   
   
   1. Three sets of detailed drawings for the proposed development. Drawings must clearly indicate that all provisions of these regulations will be met. On developments other than residential accessory buildings less than 150 square feet or other insignificant developments, drawings must be sealed by a registered professional engineer or registered architect certifying that all provisions of these regulations will be met if the developement if completed on accordance with the sealed drawings.
      
      
   2. A topography survey of the property to be developed. The survey must be on one foot contour intervals and base on the same datum as the flood study of the adjacent stream except in coastal areas where it is to be based on the most current available datum published by the Harris County Coastal Subsidence District. On single-family, residential, on lot developments, an elevation certificate will satisfy this requirement. This requirement may be waived for fences or other insignificant types of development.
      
      
   3. In case where a determination must be made as to whether the construction is a substantial improvement, the information in Section 2.27 is required.
      
      

1. Determine the Zone on the FIRM in which the land on which the development of to be made is located, the base flood elevation where the development is located and whether the development is located within the floodway.
   1. If the County Engineer determines that the development is withing any "X" Zone, or a conditional letter of map amendment (CLOMA) or revision (CLOMR) has been issued which will place the development in an "X" Zone and all other necessary reviews and approvals have been issued, he may issue a Class "I" Permit.
   2. If the development is in, or partially in. any "A" Zone, below the base flood elevation in any Zone, any floodway, or any "V" Zone, the County Engineer shall determine if a Class "II" PErmit should be issued.
2. Review proposed construction or development to assure that all reviews or approvals required by other County regulations are obtained.

1. Location above base flood elevation
   1. In the absense of evidense to the contrary, the County Engineer shall presume that the property shown on any "X" Zone on the FIRM is above the base flood elevation.
   2. In the "Shaded X" Zone it must be determined that the ground level is above the base flood elevation before a Class "I" Permit may be issued. The County Engineer may rely on date in his possession to make such a determination or require the submittal of topographical information by the applicant.
2. Where a conditional letter of map amandment has been obtained from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for property which has been elevated by the use of fill above the elevation of the base flood, the inspections required in Sections 5.02 (a) (1 & 2) must be made. The lowest floor of any structure shall be at least 18 inches above the base flood elevation.
3. The permit must be posted on the jobsite and be visible from the street.

1. Notwithstanding anything below to the contrary, no development or other encroachment is allowed in a floodway which will result in any increase in the base flood elevations whtihin the floodway during discharge of water of a base flood.
2. The following conditions must be met for new construction or substantial improvement of a structure:
   1. The top of the slab of the lowest habitable floor must be elevated to eighteen (18) or more inches above the base flood elevation of to the level of the crown of the nearest public street, whichever is higher, except in a floodway where the bottom of the lowest supporting member of the structure shall be elevated eighteen (18) or more inches above base flood elevation.
      
      However, if the land is located in an "AO" Zone and no depth number is shown on the FIRM, the slab or floor (including basement) shall be elevated at least three (3) feet above highest adjacent grade.
   2. All structures will be constructed and anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structure resulting from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic loads, including the effect of buoyancy.
   3. Construction shall use methods and practices that wil minimize flood damage and construction materials and utility equipment that are resistant to flood damage. FEMA Bulletin 2093 or subsequent revisions will serve as the guideline for this equipment.
   4. Thermal insulation used below base flood elevation shall be of a type that does not absorb water.
   5. Water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning systems, electrical distribution panels and any other mechanical or electrical equipment must be elevated to at least eighteen (18) inches above base flood elevation. Separate electrical circuits shall serve any level below the base flood elevations and shall be dropped from above.
   6. Basements may be constructed only in nonresidential structures, and only on land which is not in a floodway or "V" Zone, and must, together with attendent utility and sanitary facilities, be designed so that below the base flood elevation the structure is watertight with walls substantially impermiable to the passage of water and with structural components having the capacity of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamc loads and effectes of buoyancy. An archetect or registered professional engineer shall certify that the flood proofing methods used in the constructiuon of the basement are adequate to withstand the flood depths, pressures, velocities, impact and uplift forces and other factors associated with the base flood. A record of such certification indicating the specific elevation to which such structures are flood proofed shall be maintained with the County Engineer.
   7. All air ducts, loose pipes and storage tanks located at or below the base flood level shall be firmly anchored to prevent floatation. Tanks and ducts shall be vented to at least eighteen (18) inches above the base flood elevation.
   8. If the structure will be built on fill, the land must not be within a floodway or "V" Zone and the application must contain a fill plan, accurate existing ground elevatoins, and a grading plan that provides proper surface drainage. The fill must be inspected according to the provisions of Section 5.01 and 5.02 to determine that the fill has been constructed in accordance with drawings and that the soil density of the fill will support a structure before any construction begins.
3. The lowest floor of recreational buildings proposed for construction with public funds on publicly owned recreational property may be exempted from the requirements to elevate the lowest floor to the base flood elevation provided floodproofing measures are incorporated, and after applicable requirements of this section are met.
4. In addition to the requirements of Section 4.05 (f) the following conditions must be met by a manufactured home park or subdivision that seeks a Class "II" permit:
   1. Stands or lots must be elevated on compacted fill or on pilings so that the lowest floor of the manufactured homes will be as least eighteen (18) inches above the base flood elevations;
   2. Adequate surface drainage and access for a hauler must be provided.
   3. IF the homes will be elevated on pilings, lots must be large enough to permit steps. Piling foundations must be placed in stable soil no more than ten feet apart, and reinforcement must be provided for piers more than six feet above the ground level;
   4. Each manufactured home within a park shall be placed on a premanent foundation and anchored to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement by providing an anchoring system installed in accordance with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards for manufactured housing. Any additions to the manufactured home must be similarly anchored. (This paragraph applies to manufactuerd homes to be placed or substantially improved in an expansion to an existing manufactured home park or subdivision. This paragraph does not apply to manufactured homes to be placed or substantially improved in an existing manufactured home or subdivision except where the repair, reconstruction, or improvement of hte streets, utilities and pads equals or exceeds fifty (50) percent of the value of the streets, utilities and pads before repair, reconstruction or improvements has commencced).
   5. All utilities and common facilities including gas, electrical systems sewage systems and water supply systems, must be located and elevated or constructed to avoid or minimize flood damage.
   6. The fact that the manufactured home park or subdivision is located below the base flood elevations must be disclosed on a form furnished by the County Engineer and completed by the owner of the manufactuerd home park or subdivision and provided to the manufactured home lot purchaser or lessee. The owner of he manufactuerd home park or subdivision shall forward a copy of each notice to the County Engineer.
   7. The manufactyured home park or subdivision may not be in a floodway or a "V" Zone.
      
      Note: Manufactured Home Parks or Subdivisions which held permits and were constructed prior to the effective date of these Regulations are governed by the Regulations in effect when their permit was issued except that all manufactured homes placed or substantially improved in said park or subdivision after April 1, 1987 must comply with this section. Any manufactured home park or subdivision that did not hold a permit before the effective date of these Regulations and expansion or substantial improvements of existing and permitted manufactuerd home parks or subdivisions must comply with this section.
5. The following conditions must be met if the proposed development for which a class "II" Permit is sought includes a water or danitary sewer system:
   1. The proposed system must be designed and constructed to minimize or eliminate infiltrations of flood water into the system and eliminate discharge of untreated waste from the system into the flood waters.
   2. All joints must be watertight.
   3. Onsite sewage disposal systems, if the meet the Revised rules of Harris County for On-Site Sewerage facilities, are allowed.
   4. Individual water wells or wastewater disposal systems must be located to avoid impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding.
6. The following conditions must be met if the proposed development for which a Class "II" Permit is sought is a subdivision, including a manufactured home park or subdivision.
   1. The subdivison must be planned to provide adequate drainage so as to reduce flood hazards.
   2. If water and sanitary sewer systems are planned, the drawings must be reviewed to determine if they meet the requirements of these regulations.
   3. The drawings for development of the subdivision must be adequate to assure that all public utilities and facilities (including gas, electrical systems, sewage systems and water supply systems) are located and elevated or constucted to avoid or minimize flood damage.
   4. If subdivisoin proposal ioncludes 50 or more lotes or is on an area larger than 5 acres the proosal must include base flood elevations for each lot.
7. If the project is an expansion of a structure, as the term is defined by these Regulations, located in any "A" Zone but not within a floodway or below the base flood level in any zone"
   1. The expansion must ne constructed of materials resistant to water damage below the base flood elevation and the expansion must be designed to minimize flood damage. FEMA approved flood resistant materials list (TB 2-93).
   2. The expansion shall be inspected to determine that hte drawings and specifications for the constuctions have been followed bfore the roof and the outer wall coverings are in place and again when the expansion is complete. Inspections will be performed in the same manner as the inspection required by Section 5.02 of these Regulations.
8. If requirements for the development for which a Class "II" Permit is sought are not specifically set out by parts (a) through (g) above, the drawings for the development must be reviews to determine that the development will not increase flood hazards. If additional flood hazards will occur the permit will not be granted.
9. In addition to the requirements of parts (a) through (g) above, as applicable, the following additional requirements for development in floodways must be met.
   1. The bottom of the lowest horizontal sill, beam or member supporting the structure in the floodwayshal be at least eighteen (18) inches above the base flood elevations.
   2. An engineering report sealed by a Texas registered professional engineer containing as a minimum the following information:
      1. A soils report which includes the results of a soil boring(s) to a depth of five feet below the depth of any proposed piles and the geotechnical engineer's recommendations for the proposed structure signed and sealed by a Texas registered professional engineer; and
      2. A hydraulic analysis of pre- and proposed development conditions showing that no increase in the elevation of the base flood will occur as a result of that development.
   3. Structured shall be elevated on posts or pilings so that the entire structure, exclusive of hte posts or pilings, is eighteen (18) inches above the base flood elevations. Fill may not be used to elevate the structure. The drawings and specifications for said post or pilings shall be prepared by a Texas registers professional engineer qualified in structureal design and he or she shall certify thereon that the posts or pilings hve been designed to preven undermining and structural damage resulting from erosive velocities of the base flood. Minimum pile depth shall be established using historical scour depth, stream velocities, and soil conditions. As a minimum piles shall be embedded ten (10) feet below the historical scour depth. Pile design must take into accoiunt hyreaulic and debris loading imposed by the base flood. If no historical data is available a Texas registered professional engineer shall perform a scour analysis using the "Texas Secondary Evaluation and Analysis for Scour" methodology. After the placement or installation of the posts or pilings or prior to the final inspection or approval of the structure, the permitee shall furnish to the County Engineer a certificate from the said engineer that the posts or pilings have been constructed in the manner set forth in the drawings and specifications attached to the application for a permit. All other requirement must be met, but must not increase the base flood elevation. The following are additional design requirements for constuction within the San Jacinto River floodway. Foundations of structures within the San Jacinto River Floodway have been determined to be prone to scour. The foundation design requirements presented herein assume that potential scour around a foundation system could extend to a depth as great as ten (10 ) feet below natural grade. The foundation system must extend to a depth below the maximum potential scour that is adequate to prevent excessive vertical and horizontal movement of the foundation system due to design axial and lateral loads imposed during maximum flood conditions. These foundation design requirements present minimum foundation design requirements. Foundations must meet or exceed these requirements, regardless fo the type of scour protection provided for the foundation.
      1. Design Loads: The structural system of the building shall be designed, connected and anchored to the foundation system to prevent flotation, collapse and permanent lateral movement resulting from wind loads, impact loads, hydrodynamic loads and hydrostatic loads, including the effects buoyancy from flooding equal to the base flood elevation.
      2. Foundation Type: The foundation system shall consist of a driven pile or a drilled pier foundations system.
         1. Driven Piles: Driven piles may extend above natural grade and act as the columns supporting the elevated portion of the building above the base flood elevation, or the piles may be terminated near natural grade and a reinforced concrete cap shall be cast on top of the pile.
         2. Drilled Piers: Drilled piers shall be terminated below natural grade, and a reinforced concrete cap shall be cast on top if each pier. Columns for the building may consist of cast in-place concrete connected by dowels to the pier cap.
      3. Type and Size of Driven Pile: Driven piles shall consist of either (a) twelve (12) inch (minimum) square prestressed concrete piles, or (b) fourteen (14) inch (minimum) diameter steel pipe piles with a closed end.
         1. Closure Plate: The tip of steel piles shall be closed prior to driveing by welding a circular steel plate over the tip of the pile. The closure plate shall be flush with the outside of hte pile, i.e. the diameter of the closure plate shall not be greater thatn the outside dimensions of the pipe pile. The minimum thickness of the the closure plate shall be 3/8 inch. the weld shall be continuous, and the closure shall be waterproof.
         2. Minimum Wall Thickness: The minimum wall thickness of the pipe pile shall be 1/4 inch.
      4. Type and Size of Driled Pier: Drilled piers shall be eighteen (18) inch diameter (minimum) and straight sided (no belled or underreamed base) and shall be installed using the slurry displacement technique in accordance qith the ACI Standard Specification for the Constuction of Drilled Piers (ACI 336.1-94).
      5. Minimum Pile and Drilled Pier Embedment: The minimum embedment below natural grade for driven piles and drilled piers shall be twenty-five feet if a geotechnical investigation is not performed at the building site. If a site specific geotechnical investigation if performed for the building, the minimum embedment may be reduced to twenty (20) feet if the computed allowable axial capacity of the driven pile or drilled pier (factor of safety or at least 2.0 wiht respect to ultimate axial capcacity) is equal to or grater that the design axial load transmitted to the pile.
      6. Lateral Restraint of Foundations at Groundline: The individual piles or piers shall be brased horizontally with reinforced concrete tie beams connecting the pier/pile caps each way (not diagonally). For piles that extend above natural grade and act as column supports for the structure, a reinforced concrete collar shall be cast around each pile at the groundline, and the collars shall be connected each way with reinforced concrete tie beams. The purpose of the horizontal bracing is to enhance the lateral restraint of the individuals piles or piers when scour around a pile or pier reduces the lateral stiffness of the pile or pier.
      7. Anchorage of Timber Building Columns to Concrete Pier/Pile Cap: The timber column to concrete pile/pier cap connection should develope the full moment capacity of the timber column. The timber column shall be bolted into a steel sleave with a welded steel base plate that is bolted to the concrete pile/pier cap using anchor bolts cast into the cap. The steel sleave shall be oversized with the inside sleave dimension at least 1 1/2 inch greater than the column dimension. The gap between the sleave and column shoud be filled with a high strength non-shrink grout. The bolt(s) connecting the column to the sleave should be designed for uplift forces and shall be 3/4 inch diameter minimum. The sleave assembly and bolts shall be galvanized.
      8. Driven Pile Installation Techniques: Driven piles shall be installed by driing alone. Jetting with water or air to create a pilot hole or to loosen the foundation soils before or during driving to aid drilling will not be permitted. Piles may be driven with a vibrotory hammer, a drop hammer, or a diesel or compressed air-operated pile driving hammer. To aid in stabbing and aligningpiles, pilot holes may be drilled with a dry auger to a maximum depth of ten (10) feet. The pilot hole diameter shall not exceed the pile diameter or width.
      9. Drilled Pier Reinforcement and Concrete: Reinforcement and concrete for drilled piers shall be accordance with ACI Standard Specification for the Constuction of Drilled Piers (ACI 336.1-94).
         1. Minimum Reinforcement: The minimum steel area shall be one (1) percent which is equivilent to six (6) No. 6 reinforcing bars for an eighteen (18) diameter pier.
         2. Concrete: The minimum twenty-eight (28) day compressive strength of the concrete shall be 3000 psi. Teh maximum nominal course aggregare size shall be 3/4 inch and the minimum concrete slump shall be seven (7) inch.
         3. Inspecition and Testing: The Texas registered professional engineer who designed the foundation shall observe the installation of each pier or pile foundation element and shall furnish the Permit Division of the Harris County Engineering Department a certificate that the piers or piles have been constructed per the design plans and specifications submitted with the permit application. Testing shall be in accordance with ACI 336.1-94
      10. The area below the base flood elevation shall not be enclosed. A storage area less than 150 square feel may be allwoed, provided the walls perpendicular to the flood flow are constructed of materials allowing free flow of water and that these walls are no greater than twelve (12) feet wide. All other provisionsof these regulations must be met.
      11. Fences or fence-type walls may be allowed in the floodway provided it can be demonstrated that the flow of base flood will not be impaired and the base flood elevations will not be increased during the discharge of the base flood.
   4. In addition to the requirements of parts (1) through (g) above, as applicable, the following additional requirements for development in "V" Zones must be met:
      1. The bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the structure (excluding the pilings or columns) must be elevated to or above a level eighteen (18) inches above the base flood elevation. Fill may not be used.
      2. Structures shall be elevated on posts or pilings so that the entire structure, exclusive of posts or pilings, is eighteen (18) inches above the base flood elevation. Fill may not be used to elevate the structure. The drawings and specifications for said posts or pilings shall be prepared by a Texas registered professional engineer and he or she shall certify thereon that the posts or pilings have been designed to prevent undermining and structural damage resulting from erosion velocities of the base flood. After the placement or installation of hte posts or approval of the stucture, the permittee shall furnish to the County Engineer a certificate from the said structural engineer that the posts or pilings have been constructed in a manner set forth in the drawings and specifications attached to the application for a permit. Piling depth shall bea s outlined in Section 4.05 (i)(3) above.
      3. Development must be located landward of the reach of mean high tides.
      4. Sand dunes or mangrove stands may not be altered.
      5. The space below base flood elevation must be either free of obstruction of constructed with nonsupporting breakaway walls, open wood laticework, or insect screening intended to collapse under wind and water loads without causing collapse, displacement, or other structural damage to the elevated portion of the building or supporting foundation system. For purposes of this section, a breakaway wall shall have a design safe loading resistance of not less than 10 and no more than 20 pounds per square foot. Use of breakaway walls which exceed a design safe loading resistance of 20 pounds per square foot (either design, or when so required by local or State codes) may be permitted only if a qualified registered professional engineer or architect certifys that the designs proposed meet the following conditions:
         1. Breakaway wall collapse shall result from a water load less than that which would occur during the base flood; and,
         2. The elevated portion of the building and supportiung foundation system shall not be subject to collapse, displacement, or other structural damage due to the effects of wind and water loads acting simutaneously on all building components (structural and nonstructural). Maximum wind and water loading values to be used in this determination shall each have a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (100year mean recurrence interval). Such enclosed space shall not be used for habitable purposes.

PART 5 - PERMITEE

1. Remove all soil deposits resulting from runoff and/or from vehicular constuction traffic and or from site operations from the road or drainage facility on a daily or more frequent basis.
2. Post the permit on the jobsite in a place visible from the nearest road or street.
3. Allow the County Engineer to inspect the work pursuant to a Permit. The County Engineer may make as many scheduled or unscheduled inspections as he may deem necessary to enforce these Regulations. If no specific inspection standards are set by any part of these Regulations, the inspection shall only be to determine that the drawings and specifications furnished with the permit application are met.
4. All holders of a Class "II" Permit, or persons holding a Class "I" Permit issued persuant toa conditional letter of map amandment or revision who wish to make a chance to the development, must submit supplemental drawings and/or specifications to the County Engineer for his review. If the changes do not comply with these Regulations the County Engineer shall not approve the change. If the change complies with these Regulations and is approved, a copy of the supplimental drawing and/or specifications shall be added to the permittee's file, and the permit shall be amended by the County Engineer.

1. Class "II" Permit holders or persons holding Class "I" permit pursuant to a conditional letter of map amendment or a Class "I" permit issued for a stormwater detention or retention system shall have the following inspections conducted by a registered engineer, registered public land surveyer or registered architect as applicable and the results of said inspections submitted to the County Engineer.
   1. When the slab of a structure with an established minimum elevation is poured or for a structure on posts when the posts are placed and the lowest horizontal supporting member is installed, a completed elevation certificate must be submitted indicating the minimum floor elevation of these Regulations has been met.
   2. When the structire is complte and rady for habitation, an as-built certification form supplied by the County Engineer must be completed, signed and sealed by a registered engineer or a registered architect indicating that all the minimum requirements of these Regulations have been met.
   3. When the development is other than structural in nature, an as-built certification form supplied by the County Engineer must be completed, signed and sealed by a registered engineer or a registerd architect indicating that the project has been completed in accordance with drawings approved by the County Engineer.
2. Inspections will not be made of the permit is not posted on site.
3. The permittee will be responsible for determining whether inspections have been made prior to proceeding with work
4. Once all applicable certifications have been turned into the County Engineer's office, a certificate of compliance will be issued by the County Engineer's or his representative. Should the County Engineer determine that the applicable certifications have not been provided and the provisions of Section 5.02 of these regulations were not followed, then enforce,emt procedures as outlined in Section 7.01 shall commence.
5. Should the County Engineer have to make additional inspections or conduct survey work due to non-compliance with these Regulations, additional fees may be accessed as outlined in Section 8.04 hereof.

1. A permit is suspended when the County Engineer or his inspector advises the permittee of some responsible person on the job that the permit is suspended and posts a written suspension notice over the Permin at the jobsite.
2. The following actions by the permittee are grounds for suspension of a permit:
   1. Non-compliance with Section 5.02 of these Regulations
   2. Deviating from drawings and specifications filed with the County Engineer and refusing to make corrections required by the County Engineer
   3. Any grounds for revovation of a permit as outlined in Section 5.04.
3. When the suspension notice is posted the permittee must suspend all work on the job except that work necessart to abate the suspension. The suspension wil be abated when the corrective work is performed and has passed inspection. The abatement will be evidenced by the removal of the suspension notice by the County Engineer or his inspector, and the notation on the Permit notice by the County Engineer or his inspector that the work has now been reinspected and passed. The suspension notice may not be removed by any person other than the County Engineer or his inspector and removal by any other person will be ineffective.

1. Material deviation from the drawings and specifications on file with the County Engineer, or a pattern of consistant deviation from such drawings and specifications which would demonstrate an intention to avoid conformity with the requirements of the permit.
2. Refusal to uncover work for a mandatory inspection.
3. Removal of a building permit suspension notice
4. Proceeding with work while a building permit is suspended, other than work necessary to abate a suspension.
5. An act or acts of violence, or threat or theats of violence agaist the County Engineer or his inspector either on or off the job for the purpose of intimidating the County Engineer or his inspector, so that he will not perform his inspection duties.
6. Falsifying information on the permit application.
7. Failing to submit all required certifications as outlined in Section 5.02

1. The County Engineer must file a complaint stating the reason for permit revocation with the Hearing Examiner
   1. The Examiner will set a hearing as soon as practicable, but within 15 days of receiving the complaint.
   2. The Examiner will deliver the original Complaint, Certificate to Commissioners' Court and Hearing Notice to the Clerk of Commissioners' Court to be filed, give one copy to the County Engineer, and designate on appropriate person as Serving Agent and give two copies to him or her.
   3. The Serving Agent will take two copies of the Complaint and Hearing notice to the site where he will:
      1. Hand one copy of the Complaint and Hearing Notice to the permitee, or
      2. if the permittee is not an individual or cannot be found on the site, the Serving Agent will hand one copy of the Complaint and Hearing Notice to the person on the site that appears to be in charge, or
      3. if no person can be found on the site, the Serving Agent will post the Complaint and Hearing Notice over the Permit and/or Notice of Suspension posted at the job.
      4. Upon posting of the Complaint and Hearing Notice the permit shall be suspended.
   4. The Serving Agent will fill in the return on the remaining copy, noting on it the date, time and manner in which he perfected service, and sign the return and return the remaining copy to the Hearing Examiner.
   5. At the time set for the Hearing, if the copy of the Complaint has been returned to the Hearing Examiner by the serving agent, and reflects that the service has been perfected, the Examiner may proceed with the hearing.
   6. Hearings will be conducted in the manner provided for by Section 6.02 of these regulations before the Hearing Examiner provided by Commissioner's Court and the Examiner may delegate responsibilities of Hearing Examiner to his Assistant.

PART 6 - APPEALS AND HEARING PROCEDURES

1. Appeals are initiated by the making of complaint with or by requesting an exception to the Regulations from the Hearing Examiner in writing.
2. The Hearing Examiner will set a time for a hearing, which will be scheduled as soon as practical but within 15 days of the receipt of the written complaint or request, and shall prepare a Notice of Public Hearing naming the time and date of the Hearing. Copies shall be distributed as follows:
   1. The original copy and the Certificate to Commissioners' Court will be filed with the Clerk of Commissioners' Court and the Clerk will prepare a file for the Hearing Notice.
   2. The Examiner will set up his own working or hearing file, which he will keep one copy.
   3. The Examiner will give one copy to the appellant.
   4. The Examiner will deliver one copy to the County Engineer. The Hearing will be conducted as provided in Section 6.02, below.
3. Appeal of a suspension will not abate the suspension pending the decision of the Hearing Examiner.

1. The applicant has shown good and sufficient cause.
2. It has been determined that failure to grant the variance would result in an exceptional hardship for the applicant.
3. The granting of a variance will not result in an increased flood height, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, or create nuisances, cause fraud or victimization of the public.
4. Variances shall only be issued upon a determination that a variance is the minimum necessary considering the flood hazard to afford relief.

PART 7 - ENFORCEMENT

PART 8 - FORMS AND RECORDS

PART 9 - SEVERABILITY