Santa Clarita, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard requirement
- 1 foot above base flood elevation
- AO zone (no depth number)
- 3 feet above highest adjacent grade
- Certification required
- Registered civil engineer or land surveyor
- Flood opening ratio
- 1 sq in per 1 sq ft enclosed area
- Governing section
- SCMC § 10.06.050(A)(3)
Summary
New homes and substantial improvements in Santa Clarita's mapped flood zones must have their lowest floor built at least one foot above the base flood elevation, a one-foot freeboard margin on top of FEMA's 100-year flood line set by Municipal Code Section 10.06.050.
All new construction or substantial improvements of residential structures shall have the lowest floor, including basement: i. In AE, AH, A1-A30 Zones, elevated to at least one (1) foot above the base flood elevation... Upon the completion of the structure, the elevation of the lowest floor, including basement, shall be certified by a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor, and verified by the community building inspector to be properly elevated.
Full Breakdown
050(A)(3)(a) of the Santa Clarita Municipal Code sets the elevation standard for residential construction in special flood hazard areas. " In an AO zone without a specified depth number, the lowest floor must sit at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade, or above the FIRM's depth number by at least one foot if one is specified. 040(B)(3). Once construction is finished, a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor must certify the elevation of the lowest floor, and the community building inspector must verify it before the City accepts it. 050(A)(3)(b), certified by a registered engineer. 050(A)(3)(c). 040(B)(5).
Violations & Fines
Occupying or completing a structure without the required lowest-floor elevation certificate is presumed a violation of Chapter 10.06 under the chapter's own definitions, triggering the misdemeanor and Chapter 23.20 fine exposure set out in Section 10.06.030(C) until compliant documentation is provided to the Floodplain Administrator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above the base flood elevation must a Santa Clarita home be built?
Can a nonresidential building be floodproofed instead of elevated?
Who certifies that a building meets the freeboard requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clarita
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Flood Elevation Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle flood elevation requirements.