§ 54-871. [Enforcement by County.]

The Sarasota County Development Services Business Center shall enforce the provisions of Laws of Fla. ch. 71-904, § 4, in the issuance of building permits within the district created by Laws of Fla. ch. 71-904, and in so doing shall apply the definitions and standards applicable to all other building permits issued in the County. For the purposes of this section, the space below the lowest floor shall not be considered a story, unless:

(1)

The lowest floor is elevated above the FEMA base flood elevation (BFE) in A Zones depicted on flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) adopted by Ordinance No. 92-055, as amended (Chapter 54, Article XVI, of this Code);

(2)

The bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor is elevated above the FEMA BFE in V Zones depicted on FIRMs adopted by Ordinance No. 92-055, as amended (Chapter 54, Article XVI, of this Code);

(3)

The bottom of the lowest structural beam supporting the first habitable floor is elevated above the structural elevation established by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on land seaward of the coastal construction control line.

If any portion of the space below the lowest floor or first habitable floor, whichever is applicable, extends above the applicable elevations set forth above, said space shall constitute a story. For the purposes of this section, a mezzanine shall be considered a story.

(Ord. No. 88-036, § 1, 4-26-1988; Ord. No. 99-060, § 1, 7-27-1999)