Erie, PA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard added to BFE
- 1.5 feet
- Applies in zones
- AE, A1-30, AH
- No-data fallback elevation
- 3 feet above highest adjacent grade
- Electrical panel minimum
- 3 feet above BFE
- Street elevation limit
- No more than 1 foot below Regulatory Flood Elevation
- Enforcing official
- Floodplain Administrator (City Engineer)
Summary
In Erie's mapped AE, A1-30 and AH flood zones, new construction and substantial improvements must have their lowest floor at or above the Regulatory Flood Elevation, which the code defines as the FEMA base flood elevation plus a mandatory 1.5-foot freeboard safety margin.
In AE, A1-30, and AH Zones, any new construction or substantial improvement shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated up to, or above, the Regulatory Flood Elevation. ... REGULATORY FLOOD ELEVATION — The base flood elevation (BFE) or estimated flood height as determined using simplified methods plus a freeboard safety factor of 1 1/2 feet. The freeboard safety factor also applies to utilities and ductwork.
Full Breakdown
05(b)(1) of the Erie Codified Ordinances sets the elevation standard for the city's identified floodplain areas: in Zones AE, A1-30 and AH, any new construction or substantial improvement must have its lowest floor, including any basement, elevated up to or above the Regulatory Flood Elevation. 5-foot freeboard applies to utilities and ductwork. 05(b)(2), and any space made watertight below that elevation must meet W1 or W2 floodproofing classifications certified by a registered engineer or architect. 04(b)(3) directs the Floodplain Administrator to use elevation data from other federal or state sources, or, absent any usable data, to require the lowest floor at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade.
05(c)(12). 05(c)(5). These standards apply on top of, and where more restrictive than, the 2009 IBC/IRC, ASCE 24 and 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401-405 as adopted by the Commonwealth.
Violations & Fines
Building below the required elevation is enforced the same way as any other Article 945 violation: the Floodplain Administrator issues a written notice with up to 30 days to correct it, and failure to comply is a summary offense carrying a fine of $100 to $1,000 plus prosecution costs, with up to 90 days in jail if unpaid. A structure built out of compliance can be declared a public nuisance and ordered abated, and the city may also seek equitable relief in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much freeboard does Erie require above base flood elevation?
Does the freeboard rule apply to utilities?
What if FEMA hasn't mapped a base flood elevation for my lot?
How high must electrical panels be installed in Erie's floodplain?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Erie
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