Harnett County, NC Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

024 as "the height added to the base flood elevation (BFE) to account for the many unknown factors that could contribute to flood heights," and defines the REGULATORY FLOOD PROTECTION ELEVATION (RFPE) in the same section as the BFE plus two feet of freeboard where a BFE has been determined, or at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade where no BFE exists. 248(B), Specific Standards. 248(B)(1), new construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure, including manufactured homes, must have its reference level, including any basement, elevated no lower than the RFPE.

247(B). 248(B)(3): the chassis must reach the RFPE, and if the elevation is met by raising the chassis 36 inches or less, it must rest on reinforced piers or an engineered foundation; above 36 inches, an engineering certification is required. 248(B)(4), cannot be used for human habitation, must be built of flood-resistant materials, and in Zones A, AO, AE, and A1-30 must carry flood vents sized at one square inch of net opening per square foot of enclosed area, with the lowest opening no higher than one foot above adjacent grade. The Floodplain Administrator, housed in Harnett County Development Services, reviews elevation certificates before issuing a certificate of occupancy.