Something else that needs reaffirming related to the construction of the Casino building...

It turns out that the city's zoning code, under the Floodplain management regulations (Chapter 23.25), a pile foundation system is required for NEW CONSTRUCTION in the coastal "V" zone, which includes the beach property.  See below:

Coastal high hazard areas (V zones): Located within the areas of special flood hazard established in section 23.25.03.00(B) of this article, are areas designated as coastal high hazard areas. These areas have special flood hazards associated with wave wash, therefore, the following provisions shall apply:
(b)
All buildings or structures shall be elevated so that the lowest supporting horizontal member (excluding pilings or columns) is located no lower than the base flood elevation level, with all space below the lowest supporting member open so as not to impede the flow of water. Open lattice work or decorative screening may be permitted for aesthetic purposes only and must be designed to wash away in the event of abnormal wave action and in accordance with subsection (h) below.
(c)
All buildings or structures shall be securely anchored on pilings or columns.
(d)
All pilings and columns and the attached structures shall be anchored to resist flotation, collapse, and lateral movement due to the effect of wind and water loads acting simultaneously on all building components. The anchoring and support system shall be designed with wind and water loading values which equal or exceed the one hundred-year mean recurrence interval (one-percent annual chance flood).
(e)
A registered professional engineer or architect shall certify that the design, specifications and plans for construction are in compliance with the provisions contained in subsections (b), (c) and (d) above.
(f)
There shall be no fill used as structural support.

Remember, the architect went to the city's building official (actually the City of West Palm Beach's building official) and got him to declare that due to the deteriorated condition of the building, the city could include much of the work as addressing code deficiencies. This even though nearly 80% of the building is being demolished. This is the basis of the city's application to the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection for construction seaward of the coastal construction control line. This interpretation allows the city to not build the building on piles (a complicating and expensive proposition.) It is not included in the current casino building budget.  


However, it seems that the city's OWN ZONING CODE requires pilings regardless. The idea here is that if a serious hurricane hits, the building will be there even if the sand beneath it washes away. In my mind this is an important consideration especially since we are spending limited public money on the project.


This was pointed out to me by a colleague in another community who is a building official.


To claim this is only a repair to fix code violations (condemned building) and circumvent all of the applicable regulations of the City, state and feds is unreal.  I don't think that it is something the city can get away from. I also don't see the grounds for a variance from this requirement since there is no "hardship" - the typical test in issuing a variance. Also, variances are generally issued as a relief from a dimensional requirement, not from enhanced building-related requirements.