Riverside County, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Manufactured homes
- BFE + 1 foot minimum
- Pool service equipment
- BFE + 1 foot minimum
- Lake Elsinore floodplain
- 3 ft above elev. 1265.7 (NAVD88)
- Administered by
- Dept. of Building and Safety
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
In unincorporated special flood hazard areas, manufactured homes and pool equipment must sit at least one foot above the base flood elevation, and new buildings near Lake Elsinore need three feet of freeboard above its mapped 100-year water surface.
For manufactured homes be elevated above the base flood elevation plus one foot, including any electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, and air conditioning equipment and other service facilities servicing the building or attached to the manufactured home to prevent water from entering or accumulating within the components during conditions of flooding.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 84 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
County Code Chapter 15.80 sets construction standards inside FEMA-mapped special flood hazard areas. Site-built residences must be elevated per California Residential Code Section R322; manufactured homes and swimming pool service equipment must clear the base flood elevation (BFE) by a full foot, utilities included. Around Lake Elsinore the county adds a local freeboard: new buildings and substantial improvements in the 500-year floodplain must set their lowest floor at least three feet above the lake's 100-year water surface elevation of 1265.7 feet (NAVD 88). The Director of the Department of Building and Safety administers the chapter as floodplain administrator, working with RCFC&WCD or CVWD on technical review.
Violations & Fines
Building with a lowest floor below the required BFE-plus-freeboard, or without the required Elevation Certificate, is a presumed violation of Chapter 15.80; remedies and penalties are handled under Ordinance No. 725 as incorporated by section 15.80.130.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply inside the City of Riverside?
How much freeboard does a manufactured home need above BFE?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside County
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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