Gordon County, GA Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard elevation
- Lowest floor at least 1 foot above base flood elevation
- Streams without base flood data
- 3 feet above highest adjacent grade
- Manufactured home piers, existing parks
- At least 36 inches above grade
- Administrator
- Gordon County building official
- Maximum penalty
- $500 fine or 5 days, or both
- Variance body
- Planning and zoning board
Summary
In unincorporated Gordon County, Georgia, new construction and substantial improvements in a special flood hazard area must have the lowest floor, including the basement, at least one foot above the base flood elevation, and the heating, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing equipment must sit at the same height. Section 4-282 sets that freeboard, and the building official checks it with an as-built elevation certificate.
In all areas of special flood hazard the following provisions are required: ... (1)New construction and/or substantial improvements. Where base flood elevation data are available, new construction and/or substantial improvement of any structure or manufactured home shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than one (1) foot above the base flood elevation. Should solid foundation perimeter walls be used to elevate a structure, openings sufficient to facilitate equalization of flood hydrostatic forces on both sides of exterior walls shall be provided in accordance with standards of subsection 4-281(d), elevated buildings.a.All heating and air conditioning equipment and components (including ductwork), all electrical, ventilation, plumbing, and other service facilities shall be elevated at or above one (1) foot above the base flood elevation.
Full Breakdown
Article IV of Chapter 4 is the Gordon County Flood Damage Prevention article, adopted by the Board of Commissioners on August 5, 2025, and it replaced the flood rules the county adopted in 2008. The building official administers it. Where base flood elevation data are available, Section 4-282(1) requires the lowest floor, including any basement, of new construction and substantial improvements to sit no lower than one foot above the base flood elevation. Ductwork, electrical, ventilation, plumbing and other service facilities go at or above the same one foot mark. Manufactured homes follow the same one foot rule, except that in an existing manufactured home park the chassis can instead be supported on reinforced piers at least 36 inches above grade.
Other zones use different numbers. Where a stream has no base flood data, Section 4-283 requires the lowest floor to be at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade. In AO shallow flooding areas, Section 4-285 uses the flood depth number on the flood insurance rate map, or three feet above the highest adjacent grade when no number is shown. Non-residential buildings in A1-30, AE or AH zones can be flood-proofed instead of elevated, water tight to one foot above the base flood elevation, with an engineer or architect certifying the design. Critical facilities cannot be located in the 100-year or 500-year floodplain under Section 4-287.
The paperwork tracks the elevation. The development permit application shows the elevation of the lowest floor, and under Section 4-272(2) the permit holder must deliver an as-built certification of the floor elevation immediately after the lowest floor is completed, prepared by a registered land surveyor or professional engineer. Work done before that certification is at the permit holder's risk. Enclosures below the lowest floor need at least two openings totaling one square inch per square foot of enclosed area, with the bottom of each opening no more than one foot above grade.
Violations & Fines
Failure to comply with Article IV, including conditions attached to a variance, is a violation under Section 4-268. On conviction the fine is not more than $500 or imprisonment of not more than five days, or both, plus all costs and expenses of the case, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense. Failure to submit the as-built certification, or to correct deficiencies found in review, is cause for a stop work order under Section 4-272(2). The county can also take other lawful action to prevent or remedy the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high must a new home be built in a flood zone in unincorporated Gordon County?
What applies if no base flood elevation has been published for the stream?
Can a commercial building be flood-proofed instead of elevated?
What certification is required after the foundation is built?
Who hears a flood variance request?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gordon County
Compare Gordon County to another location·View the Georgia hurricane preparedness overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.