Baytown, TX Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard standard
- 500-yr floodplain elevation OR 24 in above BFE, higher wins
- Slab-on-grade
- Banned for new residential construction in SFHA
- Flood vent minimum
- 1 sq in net opening per sq ft of enclosed area
- Certification required
- Texas-licensed professional engineer
- Elevation certificates
- Required pre-, during, and post-construction
- Violation penalty
- Misdemeanor under Sec. 1-14 (Sec. 110-33)
Summary
New or substantially improved homes in a Baytown special flood hazard area must have their lowest floor built to the 500-year floodplain elevation or 24 inches above base flood elevation, whichever is higher, under City Code Sec. 110-102. Slab-on-grade construction is banned for new residential dwellings in these zones.
Within an area of special flood hazard, new construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, and all components of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and any other service facility elevated to at least the 500-year floodplain elevation or 24 inches above the base flood elevation, whichever is higher. Additionally, plumbing systems shall be designed and/or located so as to prevent floodwaters from entering or damaging them. Slab on grade construction shall not be permitted for the new construction of residential dwellings.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 110-102 sets the freeboard standard that applies on top of FEMA's base flood elevation. Residential structures must have their lowest floor, including any basement, and every mechanical, electrical, and plumbing component elevated to at least the 500-year floodplain elevation or 24 inches above base flood elevation (BFE), whichever number is higher, and slab-on-grade construction is flatly barred for new residential dwellings. 1 feet above that elevation, no more than six inches of the slab's vertical concrete is exposed, and the slab edge stays at least five feet from a side or rear lot line.
Commercial and industrial buildings face the identical elevation threshold, or must be engineered watertight below that line by a Texas-licensed professional engineer. Enclosed areas below the lowest floor used only for parking, access, or storage must have at least two flood vents with a combined net area of one square inch per square foot of enclosed space, with vent bottoms no higher than one foot above grade. Manufactured homes must have their lowest horizontal structural member elevated to the same 500-year/24-inch standard and be anchored against flotation. Elevation certificates, sealed by a Texas professional engineer or surveyor, must be filed with the floodplain administrator before construction, during construction, and at completion.
Violations & Fines
Building in a special or moderate flood hazard area without meeting these standards violates chapter 110, article II, which Sec. 110-33 makes a misdemeanor punishable under the city's general penalty provision, Sec. 1-14. Structures already flagged as severe repetitive loss properties cannot be improved unless the work brings them into full compliance with the elevation and construction standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above flood level must I build a new house in Baytown?
Can I still build a slab-on-grade house in a Baytown flood zone?
Are commercial buildings held to the same flood elevation standard as houses in Baytown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baytown
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Baytown to another location·View the Texas environmental rules overview
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Harris County handle flood elevation requirements.