Apple Valley, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard required
- 2 feet above base flood elevation
- Applies to
- Lowest floor including basement, A zones
- AO zones
- Depth number + 2 ft, or 4 ft if none
- Manufactured homes
- 2 ft above BFE or piers 36 in.
- Certification by
- Registered engineer/surveyor or town inspector
Summary
Apple Valley requires new construction and substantial improvements in a mapped A zone to elevate the lowest floor, including any basement, at least two feet above the base flood elevation, a two-foot freeboard margin set by Development Code § 9.62.080(A)(3)(c) on top of FEMA's mapped 100-year flood level.
In an A zone, elevated to or above the base flood elevation; said base flood elevation shall be determined by one of the methods in Section 4.3 B of this ordinance. The lowest floor shall be elevated at least two feet above the base flood elevation, as determined by the community.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
070 for a site in a mapped flood-prone area. In an A zone, subsection (A)(3)(c) requires the lowest floor be elevated to or above the base flood elevation and then adds the town's freeboard margin: the lowest floor shall be elevated at least two feet above the base flood elevation, as determined by the community. 050. In Zone AO, where FEMA has not published a base flood elevation, subsection (A)(3)(b) sets an equivalent standard: the lowest floor must sit above the highest adjacent grade at least as high as the depth number printed on the FIRM, plus two feet, or four feet above grade if no depth number is shown.
080(D) requires the lowest floor at least two feet above base flood elevation, or the chassis supported on reinforced piers at least 36 inches above grade. a). Nonresidential structures may instead be flood-proofed watertight below the base flood level under (A)(3)(e), certified by a registered engineer or architect. 070(C)(4).
Violations & Fines
Constructing or substantially improving a structure below the required two-foot freeboard elevation without an approved variance violates Section 9.62.080 and can block issuance of a certificate of occupancy, since the Floodplain Administrator must verify lowest-floor certification before signing off. A variance permitting construction below the base flood level requires written notice to the owner that flood insurance premiums can run as high as $25 per $100 of coverage (9.62.090.A.6.a).
Frequently Asked Questions
How far above the base flood elevation must a new home be built in Apple Valley?
What happens in zones where FEMA hasn't published a base flood elevation?
Who certifies that a building meets Apple Valley's freeboard requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apple Valley
California rules heatmap·Compare Apple Valley to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle flood elevation requirements.