Palm Beach Gardens, FL Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

The requirement applies whenever a manufactured home is placed, replaced or substantially improved outside a manufactured home park, in a new park, in a park expansion, or in an existing park where a unit already sustained substantial flood damage; in each case Sec. 86-118 requires the bottom of the frame to sit at or above the elevation set by the Florida Building Code, Residential Section R322.2 for Zone A or Section R322.3 for Zone V. Sec. 86-119 carves out an alternative for manufactured homes in pre-existing parks or subdivisions that have not had substantial flood damage: the frame may either meet the same Florida Building Code elevation, or sit on reinforced piers or equivalent foundation elements at least 36 inches above grade.

Related sections in the same Floodplain Management Ordinance (Ch. 86, Art. III, adopted by Ord. No. 15, 2017, effective 9-25-17) round out the standard: anchoring must resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement (Sec. 86-116); enclosed areas below an elevated home must meet the same Florida Building Code Residential sections (Sec. 86-120); and utility equipment serving the home must comply with Florida Building Code Residential Section R322 (Sec. 86-121). The floodplain administrator, who is the city engineer (Sec. 86-52), reviews design certifications and elevation documentation for compliance.

A property owner seeking a variance to build the lowest floor below the required elevation must receive written notice from the floodplain administrator disclosing that flood insurance premiums will rise with the reduced elevation, quoted as up to $25.00 per $100.00 of coverage, before the building board of adjustment and appeals can act (Sec. 86-90(4)).