Akron, OH Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential elevation standard
- Lowest floor at or above base flood elevation
- Nonresidential alternative
- Certified floodproofing to base flood level
- Accessory-structure variance cap
- 576 sq ft, built for under $7,000
- Verification required
- Surveyor's elevation letter before occupancy
- Manufactured homes
- Must sit on permanent foundation at BFE
- Default penalty
- Up to $150 per offense, § 10.99
Summary
Akron requires new and substantially improved homes in mapped flood zones to have their lowest floor, including basement, built at or above the base flood elevation. Nonresidential buildings can floodproof instead of elevate if a licensed engineer certifies the work.
A.Residential Construction.1.New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to or above the base flood elevation.B.Nonresidential Construction.1.New construction and substantial improvement of any commercial, industrial, or other nonresidential structure shall either have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to the level of the base flood elevation, or, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, shall: a.Be floodproofed so that, below the base flood level, the structure is watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
315(A) requires that new construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure have its lowest floor, including the basement, elevated to or above the base flood elevation, the FEMA-mapped level with a one-percent annual chance of being equaled or exceeded. 315(B) gives nonresidential buildings, such as commercial or industrial structures, a choice: elevate the lowest floor to the base flood elevation, or floodproof the structure so it is watertight below that level with walls substantially impermeable to water and components able to resist hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads, certified by a registered professional engineer or architect.
318. 314(A) and elevated on a permanent foundation so the lowest floor sits at or above the base flood elevation; the same standard reaches recreational vehicles sited for 180 days or more or that are not fully licensed and ready for highway use. 309 requires the applicant to submit a surveyor's letter before final occupancy certifying the actual elevation of the lowest habitable floor, and a footing-elevation certification before the required footing inspection, tying the freeboard rule to actual construction verification rather than the submitted plans alone.
Violations & Fines
Constructing or substantially improving a structure below the required base flood elevation without the § 197.312 variance is a building code violation enforced by the Superintendent of Building Inspection, who reviews the surveyor's post-construction elevation certification required under § 197.309. Chapter 197 sets no elevation-specific fine, so the citywide default in § 10.99 applies: up to $150 per offense absent a more specific penalty, with each day of an uncorrected violation a separate offense. Any owner granted a variance below base flood elevation must receive written notice that flood insurance costs will reflect the increased risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above the flood level must a new Akron house be built?
Can a commercial building in Akron floodproof instead of elevating?
Is there any exception to Akron's base flood elevation rule for small structures?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Akron
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