Penn Hills, PA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard
- 1.5 feet above base flood elevation
- Applies to
- New construction & substantial improvements
- Flood zones
- AE, A1-30, AH Zones
- Lowest floor
- Includes basement, must be elevated
Summary
Penn Hills requires new or substantially improved structures in flood zones to elevate their lowest floor to the base flood elevation plus a mandatory 1.5-foot freeboard safety margin.
REGULATORY FLOOD ELEVATION: The base flood elevation (BFE) or estimated flood height as determined using simplified methods plus a freeboard safety factor of 1 1/2 feet. ... In AE, A1-30, and AH Zones, any new construction or substantial improvement shall have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated up to, or above, the regulatory flood elevation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4434863; v5 updated 2025-07-21; through 07-21-2025).
Full Breakdown
The Municipality of Penn Hills' Flood Control chapter defines 'regulatory flood elevation' as the base flood elevation shown on FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Map plus a freeboard safety factor of one and one-half feet. Section 1436.26 then applies that standard: in AE, A1-30, and AH Zones, any new construction or substantial improvement must have its lowest floor, including any basement, elevated up to or above that regulatory flood elevation, effectively 1.5 feet above the mapped base flood elevation, not just even with it. The freeboard applies to both residential and nonresidential structures and follows the design standards of the adopted Building and Existing Structures Codes.
Violations & Fines
Building below the required freeboard elevation violates Section 1436.26 and can block a certificate of occupancy, void flood insurance eligibility, and expose the owner to code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above the base flood elevation must I build in Penn Hills?
Does the freeboard rule apply to additions, or only new homes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Penn Hills
Compare Penn Hills to another location·View the Pennsylvania environmental rules overview
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Allegheny County handle flood elevation requirements.