Orem, UT Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Orem City Code Chapter 10, Article 10-5, Section 10-5-2(A) sets the residential elevation standard: the lowest floor of any new or substantially improved residential structure, including the basement, must be elevated to one foot above the base flood elevation, with a registered professional engineer, architect, or land surveyor certifying the standard is met to the Floodplain Administrator. Nonresidential structures under Section 10-5-2(B) get an alternative: elevate the lowest floor to the same one-foot-above-BFE level, or floodproof everything below that level so it is watertight, with structural components able to resist hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads, certified by a registered engineer or architect.

Base flood elevation is defined in Section 10-2-1 as the water surface elevation of the flood having a one percent annual chance of occurring. The Development Services Director, appointed Floodplain Administrator under Section 10-4-1, reviews every development permit application in a mapped flood hazard zone under Section 10-4-3, which requires elevation-in-relation-to-mean-sea-level data before construction begins. Section 10-5-1 additionally requires new construction to be anchored against flotation and lateral movement, and requires electrical, heating, plumbing and HVAC equipment to be elevated to one foot above BFE.

Manufactured homes need over-the-top and frame tie-downs at each corner capable of resisting 4,800 pounds of force. Enclosed areas below the lowest floor, including crawlspaces and attached garages, must have flood vents with a bottom no higher than one foot above grade and at least one square inch of net opening per square foot of enclosed area. Violating any provision of Chapter 10 is a Class C misdemeanor under Section 10-5-6, and the City can also pursue other lawful remedies to abate the violation.