Abilene, TX Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard
- 1 ft above base flood elevation
- Alternate standard
- Or 18 in above gutter, most restrictive
- Code section
- LDC Sec. 3.2.11.6
- Certification
- PE/architect/surveyor certifies to City Engineer
- Enforcer
- Floodplain Administrator
Summary
In Abilene's FEMA special flood hazard areas, new and substantially improved homes must set the lowest floor at least one foot above the base flood elevation, or eighteen inches above the gutter, whichever is more restrictive.
Specific Standards. In all areas of special flood hazards where base flood elevation data has been provided as set forth in this Division, the following provisions are required. (1) Residential Construction. New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor (including basement), elevated to one foot (1') above the base flood elevation or eighteen inches (18") above the gutter whichever is most restrictive.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Section 3.2.11.6 of Abilene's Land Development Code governs the special flood hazard areas mapped on the city's FIRM. Residential lowest floors, including basements, must sit one foot above the base flood elevation or eighteen inches above the gutter, whichever is most restrictive; nonresidential structures must elevate to that same level or be dry-floodproofed to it. A registered engineer, architect, or land surveyor must certify the finished elevation to the City Engineer. The Floodplain Administrator issues Floodway Development Permits and enforces the standards, and any work in the regulatory floodway requires proof it causes no increase in flood levels.
Violations & Fines
Building in the regulatory floodway without a Floodway Development Permit, or setting a lowest floor below the required elevation, violates the Land Development Code; the Floodplain Administrator can withhold the certificate of occupancy and require correction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high must my Abilene home's floor be in a flood zone?
Who certifies the elevation?
Can I build in the floodway?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Abilene
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