Oldham County, KY Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Oldham County Code Chapter 151, Flood Damage Prevention, sets the freeboard standard for the unincorporated county. Under § 151.066, in all special flood hazard areas where base flood elevation (BFE) data exist, new residential construction or substantial improvement of a residential structure or manufactured home must have the lowest floor, including basement, mechanical equipment and ductwork, elevated no lower than two feet above the base flood elevation. In an AO Zone, the lowest floor must instead sit above the highest adjacent grade by the depth number shown on the FIRM, or at least three feet if no depth number is given.

Nonresidential structures must either meet the same two-foot freeboard or be floodproofed below an elevation two feet above the base flood elevation, watertight and resistant to hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads, with a licensed professional engineer or registered architect certifying compliance to the Floodplain Administrator. General construction standards in § 151.065 also require anchoring against flotation and collapse, flood-damage-resistant materials, and utility equipment located or floodproofed to prevent water infiltration during flooding. A floodplain construction permit is required before any development in the special flood hazard area, and it expires if construction has not started within 180 calendar days of issuance.