Oak Lawn, IL Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard added to BFE
- 1 foot
- Lowest floor standard
- At or above FPE
- Enforcing official
- Office of Quality Control director
- Fine range
- $50–$1,000 per offense
- Permit required
- Before any SFHA development
Summary
Oak Lawn requires new construction and substantial improvements in flood hazard areas to raise the lowest floor to the flood protection elevation: the base flood elevation plus one foot of mandatory freeboard.
FLOOD PROTECTION ELEVATION (FPE): The elevation of the base flood or 100-year frequency flood plus one foot (1') of freeboard at any given location in the SFHA. FLOODPLAIN: That land typically adjacent to a body of water with ground surface elevations at or below the base flood or the 100- year frequency flood elevation. Floodplains may also include detached special flood hazard areas, ponding areas, etc. The floodplain is also known as the special flood hazard area (SFHA).
A. The floodplains are those lands within the jurisdiction of the village of Oak Lawn that are subject to inundation by the base flood or 100-year frequency flood. The SFHAs of the village of Oak Lawn are generally identified as such on map number 17031 and panel(s) 606, 607, 608, 609, 628 dated August 19, 2008, respectively, of the countywide flood insurance rate map for Cook County prepared by the federal emergency management agency;
B. The SFHAs for those parts of unincorporated Cook County that are within the one and one-half (11/2) mile extraterritorial jurisdiction for the village of Oak Lawn and may be annexed into the village of Oak Lawn are designated for Stony Creek east and west branch of map number 17031 and panel(s) 617, 636 dated August 19, 2008, respectively, of the countywide flood insurance rate map for Cook County prepared by the federal emergency management agency. FLOODPROOFING: Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions,
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Code current through: Ord. 26-09-22, passed April 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The Village defines the flood protection elevation (FPE) as the base or 100-year flood elevation plus one foot of freeboard (Oak Lawn Village Code § 6-14A-2). Under § 6-14A-9(C)(1)(a), any new or substantially improved building in a special flood hazard area must have its lowest floor, including the basement, built at or above that FPE, not merely at the base flood elevation itself. Manufactured homes face a parallel elevation standard. The director of the Village's office of quality control issues the required development permit and compares each site's elevation against the FPE before approving construction.
Violations & Fines
Building without a compliant permit is a violation of Village Code Title 6, Chapter 14A. Under § 6-14A-13 the Village can seek a circuit court injunction, record a notice of violation on the property's title, and fines run $50 to $1,000 per offense, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Oak Lawn's freeboard requirement?
Does the lowest floor need to be at the base flood elevation or higher?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oak Lawn
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle flood elevation requirements.