Dearborn, MI Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- Lowest floor at/above base flood elevation
- Alternative
- Or certified watertight floodproofing
- Certifier
- Registered engineer or architect
- Recorded by
- City engineer, NGVD datum
- Applies to
- New + substantially improved homes
Summary
New construction or substantial improvement of a residential structure in a Dearborn flood hazard area must have its lowest floor elevated to or above the base flood elevation, or be certified floodproofed and watertight.
New construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure in all areas of special flood hazard shall either have the lowest floor, including the basement, elevated to or above the level of the base flood elevation or be floodproofed so that the structure is watertight and capable of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and effects of buoyancy. Certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the standards of this subsection are satisfied may be required.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Code § 5-1372 sets Dearborn's flood elevation standard for homes: any new residential structure or substantial improvement built inside an area of special flood hazard must have its lowest floor, including the basement, raised to or above the base flood elevation, or be floodproofed watertight enough to resist hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces and buoyancy. A registered professional engineer or architect may be required to certify compliance. Under § 5-1369(a)(1)-(2), the city engineer records the achieved lowest-floor elevation in relation to National Geodetic Vertical Datum on every development permit before construction proceeds.
Violations & Fines
Skipping the elevation or floodproofing certification blocks permit approval; building without it violates § 1-9's general penalty: up to a $500 fine, 93 days in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high must a new Dearborn home be built in a flood zone?
Does Dearborn require extra freeboard above the base flood elevation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle flood elevation requirements.