Tulare County, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Section 7-27-1180 sets the elevation and floodproofing standards for Chapter 27. Subsection (a) requires new construction and substantial improvement of any structure to conform to the California Building Code and ASCE 24, with the bottom of the lowest floor, including any basement, elevated per the minimum requirements in Chapter 2 of ASCE 24; before an occupancy permit issues, a registered civil engineer or land surveyor must certify the elevation and the County Surveyor must verify it. Subsection (b) requires structures in Zone AO to be elevated to or above the depth number shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map, measured from the highest adjacent grade.

Subsection (c) addresses Zone A parcels where the map does not list a base flood elevation or depth number: the elevation must first be determined using the methods in Section 7-27-1100(b), and if the Planning and Development Director and Public Works Director find that unreasonable, the Directors may instead require the lowest floor be elevated to at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade or the Design Flood Elevation, whichever is higher. 2 under subsection (d), and elevation certification must be filed at three stages: before permit issuance, once the pad or foundation forms are erected, and before the occupancy permit is released.

Section 7-27-1185 further requires the certification to occur at the point where footings are set and the slab poured, on penalty of a stop-work order for failure to submit it, and allows a Letter of Map Amendment where fill was used to raise a structure above the base flood elevation.