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h) In exercising its authority to hear requests for variances, the Floodplain Management <br />Appeals Boardshall be subject to the following standards and guidelines: <br />(1) Prerequisites for granting variances: <br />(a) Variances shall only be issued upon a determination that the variance is the <br />minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief. <br />(b) Variances shall only be issued upon: (i) showing a good and sufficient cause; <br />(ii) a determination that failure to grant the variance would result in exceptional <br />hardship to the applicant, and (iii) a determination that the granting of a variance <br />will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, <br />extraordinary public expense, create nuisances, cause fraud on or victimization <br />of the public, or conflict with existing local laws or ordinances. <br />(c) Any application to which a variance is granted shall be given written notice <br />that the structure will be permitted to be built with the lowest floor elevation <br />below the base flood elevation, and that the cost of flood insurance will be <br />commensurate with the increased risk resulting from the reduced lowest floor <br />elevation. <br />(2) Variances may be issued for new construction and substantial improvements and for <br />other development necessary for the conduct of a functionally dependent use provided <br />that (i) the criteria outlined insection 94-65(1)-(9) of this article are met, and (ii) the <br />structure or other development is protected by methods that minimize flood damages <br />during the base flood and create no additional threats to public safety.” <br />(3) Variances may be issued for new construction and substantial improvements to be <br />erected on a lot of one-half acre or less in size contiguous to and surrounded by lots <br />with existing structures constructed below the base flood level, providing the relevant <br />factors in section 94-64(2) of this article have been fully considered. As the lot size <br />increases beyond the one-half half acre, the technical justification required for issuing <br />the variance increases. <br />(4)Variances shall not be issued within any designated floodway if any increase in <br />flood levels during the base flood discharge would result. <br />(5) Variances may be issued for the repair or rehabilitation of historic structures upon a <br />determination that the proposed repair or rehabilitation will not preclude the structure's <br />continued designation as a historic structure and the variance is the minimum necessary <br />to preserve the historic character and design of the structure. <br />(6) Variances may be issued for the reconstruction, rehabilitation or restoration of <br />structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places or the state inventory of <br />historic places, without regard to the procedures set forth in the remainder of this <br />article. <br />(7) Upon consideration of the factors noted above and the intent of this article, the <br />appeal board may attach such conditions to the granting of variances as it deems <br />necessary to further the purpose and objectives of this article as stated in section 94-34 <br />herein. <br />3 <br /> <br />