San Bernardino, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Default BFE with no data
- 2 feet above highest adjacent grade
- Garage exception size cap
- 600 sq ft, one story
- Group U elevation standard
- ASCE 24 design flood elevation
- Manufactured home pier height
- At least 36 inches above grade
- Determining official
- City Engineer as Floodplain Administrator
Summary
When a San Bernardino property sits in an approximate Zone A flood hazard area with no FEMA base flood elevation on record, the Floodplain Administrator can set the base flood elevation at two feet above the highest adjacent grade, provided nothing shows flood depths could run deeper. Actual construction elevation requirements then follow from that figure under Chapter 8.79.
Where flood hazard areas are delineated on the FIRM and base flood elevation data have not been provided, the Floodplain Administrator is authorized to... (C) Where base flood elevation and floodway data are not available from another source, where the available data are deemed by the Floodplain Administrator to not reasonably reflect flooding conditions or where the available data are known to be scientifically or technically incorrect or otherwise inadequate: ... (2) Specify that the base flood elevation is two feet above the highest adjacent grade at the location of the development; provided there is no evidence indicating flood depths have been or may be greater than two feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).
Full Breakdown
270 gives the Floodplain Administrator, the City Engineer, three ways to fill a gap when the FIRM shows a flood hazard area but supplies no base flood elevation data: require the applicant's own engineer-sealed base flood elevation study; obtain or require federal or state base flood elevation and floodway data from another source; or, only when no other data exists or the available data is scientifically inadequate, default to a base flood elevation of two feet above the highest adjacent grade at the development site, so long as nothing shows flood depths could exceed two feet there.
79 ties actual construction to it. 490 only if they are one story, no larger than 600 square feet in a special flood hazard area, anchored against flotation, built with flood damage-resistant materials below the base flood elevation, fitted with code-compliant flood openings, and have their mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems elevated to or above it. 500. 620.
Violations & Fines
Building below the required base flood elevation without qualifying for the detached-garage or Group U exceptions is a violation under Section 8.79.430, treated as a misdemeanor, and a structure lacking documentation of its lowest-floor elevation is presumed noncompliant until the owner submits that documentation. The Floodplain Administrator can issue a stop-work order under Section 8.79.440, and continuing work afterward draws case-by-case penalties, fines and remediation fees from the Public Works Department under Section 8.79.450.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the base flood elevation set in San Bernardino when FEMA hasn't mapped one?
Can a garage sit below the base flood elevation in San Bernardino?
What elevation do manufactured homes need in San Bernardino flood zones?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle flood elevation requirements.