Bakersfield, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard
- Base flood elevation plus 1 foot minimum
- Governing section
- BMC § 15.74.120(C)(1)(a)
- AO shallow-flood zones
- Highest adjacent grade + depth number +1 ft
- Certification required
- Registered engineer or licensed surveyor, on completion
- Enforcing office
- City floodplain administrator / building director
- Permit prerequisite
- Development permit required under §15.74.110
Summary
New construction and substantial improvements inside Bakersfield's mapped flood hazard areas must have their lowest floor built at or above the base flood elevation plus one foot of freeboard, or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher. Bakersfield Municipal Code § 15.74.120(C)(1)(a) sets the standard, enforced by the city's floodplain administrator under Chapter 15.74.
Buildings and structures in flood hazard areas shall have the lowest floors elevated to or above the base flood elevation plus one foot (three hundred five mm), or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 5221, passed July 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
44. ' That extra foot is the city's freeboard margin above FEMA's bare minimum. In AO shallow-flooding zones, subsection C(1)(b) instead requires elevation above the highest adjacent grade by the FIRM's depth number plus one foot, or three feet if no depth number is shown, and basement floors below grade on all sides must meet the same BFE-plus-one-foot standard under subsection C(1)(c). Nonresidential structures may floodproof to the same elevation instead of raising the structure, per subsection C(2), but must be certified watertight and capable of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads by a registered engineer or architect.
Once construction is complete, subsection C(1)(e) requires the elevation of the lowest floor to be certified by a California-registered engineer or licensed surveyor and verified by the city building director or designee, with that certification filed with the floodplain administrator. 110 is a prerequisite for any construction in these areas.
Violations & Fines
A structure built without the required elevation certification is presumed in violation of Chapter 15.74 under the code's own definition of 'violation' (BMC § 15.74.025) until the documentation is provided. The floodplain administrator is directed to take remedial action against violations under BMC § 15.74.050, and the elevation certificate required by § 15.74.120(C)(1)(e) is a prerequisite the city checks, putting occupancy sign-off and flood-insurance eligibility at risk for uncertified construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much freeboard does Bakersfield require above base flood elevation?
Who verifies that a new building meets Bakersfield's flood elevation standard?
Can a nonresidential building in Bakersfield's flood zone skip raising its floor?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bakersfield
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle flood elevation requirements.