Flood Elevation Requirements
Environmental Rules
FEMA NFIP minimum base flood elevation (BFE) construction standards for properties in mapped flood zones, including freeboard requirements above BFE.
How Flood Elevation Requirements Rules Differ by Place
Calvert County, MD: Flood Protection Elevation Rules in Calvert County
Heavy RestrictionsEvery new or substantially improved building in a Calvert County floodplain must have its lowest floor raised to the flood protection elevation, defined as the base flood elevation…
Howard County, MD: Howard County Requires 2-Foot Flood Freeboard
Heavy RestrictionsSubstantially improved homes and buildings in a Howard County floodplain must raise their lowest floor, including any basement, at least 2 feet above the 100-year flood elevation…
Harnett County, NC: Flood Elevation and Freeboard Rules in Harnett County
Heavy RestrictionsHarnett County's Flood Damage Prevention ordinance requires new and substantially improved structures in a special flood hazard area to sit at or above the base flood elevation plus…
Auburn, AL: Auburn's One-Foot Freeboard Above Flood Elevation
Some RestrictionsAuburn requires the lowest floor of new construction and substantially improved buildings in mapped flood hazard areas to sit at least one foot above the base flood elevation, under…
Bessemer, AL: Bessemer Flood Elevation Freeboard Requirement
Some RestrictionsBessemer requires new and substantially improved homes in a mapped special flood hazard area to sit at least two feet above the base flood elevation under Code of Ordinances §…
Birmingham, AL: Birmingham Requires 1-Foot Flood Freeboard
Some RestrictionsNew construction and substantial improvements in a Birmingham flood hazard area must have the lowest floor, including any basement, elevated at least one foot above the base flood…
Cities & Counties with Flood Elevation Requirements Rules
1101 locations
Alabama
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Wisconsin
Other Environmental Rules Topics
Stormwater Management
Requirements for managing rainwater runoff on your property, including retention basins, permeable surfaces, and drainage plans.
Erosion Control
Rules to prevent soil erosion during construction and landscaping, including required sediment barriers and ground cover standards.
Coastal Development
Building restrictions near coastlines, including setbacks from the water, dune protection rules, and coastal commission permits.
Flood Zones
Building requirements for properties in FEMA flood zones, including elevation standards, flood insurance mandates, and construction limits.
Shoreline Management
Regulations for properties along lakes, rivers, and coastlines, including buffer zones, dock permits, and vegetation requirements.
Sea Wall & Bulkhead
Requirements for maintaining sea walls, bulkheads, and retaining structures on waterfront properties, including inspection schedules and repair obligations.
Mangrove Protection
Rules protecting mangrove trees and coastal vegetation, including trimming restrictions, removal prohibitions, and required setbacks from mangrove habitat.
Boat Dock Permits
Permits required to build or modify boat docks, lifts, and davits on waterfront properties, including size limits, setbacks, and environmental reviews.
Defensible Space
Mandated vegetation clearance zones around homes in fire hazard zones, including the 100-ft Zone 0/1/2 model used by California and other wildfire-prone states.
Vehicle Idling Restrictions
Limits on how long heavy-duty vehicles, buses, and passenger cars may idle, including bans near schools and residential areas.
Climate Emergency Mobilization
Local climate-emergency declarations and mobilization plans, including building electrification mandates, gas-hookup bans in new construction, and reach codes.
Sustainable Procurement
City rules requiring sustainable, recycled, or low-emissions products in municipal purchasing, and how those rules trickle down to contractors and concessions.
Cool Pavement
Reflective-coating road treatments deployed by LA Bureau of Street Services to reduce surface temps; pilot streets and expansion plans under Cool Streets LA.
Cool Roof Requirements
Mandatory high-reflectance roofing materials for new construction and reroofs. LA Green Building Code thresholds and Title 24 Pt 6 baseline.
Heat Island Mitigation
Citywide programs to reduce urban heat, tree canopy goals, cool surfaces, shade structures at bus stops, and cooling-center requirements during heat waves.