Anaheim, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum freeboard
- 1 foot above base flood elevation
- Zone AO alternative
- FIRM depth number plus 1 ft, or 3 ft minimum
- Certification required
- Registered engineer or surveyor, before final inspection
- Enclosure vent ratio
- 1 sq in per sq ft of enclosed area
- Administering office
- Planning Director under AMC 17.28.120
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 6 months jail
Summary
In Anaheim's mapped special flood hazard areas, new construction and substantially improved structures must raise the lowest floor, including any basement, at least one foot above the base flood elevation. A registered engineer or surveyor must certify the elevation before final inspection.
New construction and substantial improvement of any structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated at least one foot above the base flood elevation. Nonresidential structures may meet the standards in Section 17.28.130.022. Prior to final building and zoning inspections, the elevation of the lowest floor including basement shall be certified by a registered professional engineer or surveyor and an elevation certificate completed and provided to the Planning Director, or his or her designee.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-28: Code: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026 | Zoning: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026).
Full Breakdown
28 implements the National Flood Insurance Program locally. 031 requires that new construction and substantial improvement of any structure have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated at least one foot above the base flood elevation (BFE), the one-foot freeboard above FEMA's mapped 100-year flood level. 033: making the structure watertight below the base flood level with walls substantially impermeable to water and structural components capable of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads, certified by a registered engineer or architect. 032 instead requires the lowest floor to sit above the highest adjacent grade by the FIRM depth number plus one foot, or at least three feet if no depth number is shown.
031 requires a registered professional engineer or surveyor to complete an elevation certificate documenting the as-built lowest floor elevation and submit it to the Planning Director. 035. 100 is required before any construction begins in a special flood hazard area, and the applicant's engineer or architect must submit the proposed lowest floor elevation relative to mean sea level as part of that application. 125.
Violations & Fines
Anaheim Municipal Code Section 1.01.370 makes violation of any mandatory Code requirement, including the Chapter 17.28 elevation standards, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense. Property owners who believe strict compliance imposes exceptional hardship may seek a variance from the City Engineer or Planning Director under Section 17.28.190, with appeals decided by the City Council; variances cannot be granted within a designated floodway if they would raise flood levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above the base flood elevation must a new home's lowest floor be in Anaheim?
Can a commercial building in Anaheim floodproof instead of elevating?
What happens if a basement below the flood elevation is used for parking?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anaheim
California rules heatmap·Compare Anaheim to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle flood elevation requirements.