Greenburgh, NY Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Equipment at/above base flood elevation
- Covered systems
- HVAC, plumbing, electrical service
- Wiring exception
- Meets state wet-location code
- Sewer lines
- Automatic backflow valves required
- Chapter adopted/amended
- 8-15-2007; amended 5-22-2013
- Enforced by
- Town Engineer (local administrator)
Summary
Greenburgh's flood damage prevention law forces electrical, heating, cooling, plumbing and other service equipment in special flood hazard areas above the base flood elevation before storms can reach them, with wiring and outlets exempt only when built to the state's wet-location code.
New and replacement electrical equipment, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, plumbing connections, and other service equipment shall be located at or above the base flood elevation. Electrical wiring and outlets, switches, junction boxes and panels shall be elevated to or above the base flood elevation unless they conform to the appropriate provisions of the electrical part of the Building Code of New York State or the Residential Code of New York State for location of such items in wet locations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4570580; v39 updated 2025-10-22; through 10-22-2025).
Full Breakdown
Under § 220-5B(3) of Chapter 220, Flood Damage Prevention, new and replacement service equipment, meaning electrical, HVAC and plumbing connections, must sit at or above the base flood elevation in any area of special flood hazard. Wiring, outlets, switches, junction boxes and panels must likewise be elevated unless they meet the wet-location provisions of the Building Code of New York State or Residential Code of New York State. The same subsection requires new and replacement water supply systems to be designed to minimize floodwater infiltration and new sanitary sewage systems to minimize infiltration, with automatic backflow valves mandatory on any discharge line passing through an exterior wall where openings sit below the base flood elevation.
On-site waste disposal systems must be sited to avoid impairment or contamination during flooding. The Town Engineer, as local administrator, reviews these utility protections at the permit stage under § 220-4C(3) and again at construction, requiring a licensed engineer's or architect's certificate that utility floodproofing meets the § 220-5B(3) criteria before a certificate of compliance issues. Deficiencies found during construction-stage inspection trigger a stop-work order under § 220-4D unless corrected immediately, and any work done before the administrator approves the required elevation certification proceeds at the permit holder's risk.
Violations & Fines
Installing service equipment, wiring or sewage connections below the base flood elevation without the required floodproofing certification violates § 220-3D, punishable by a fine of up to $250 or imprisonment up to 15 days, or both, with each day of continued noncompliance a separate offense, in addition to a stop-work order and possible FEMA notification.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high must utilities sit in a Greenburgh flood zone?
Can wiring stay below the base flood elevation in Greenburgh?
Who checks utility flood protection before occupancy?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenburgh
New York rules heatmap·Compare Greenburgh to another location·View the New York hurricane preparedness overview
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Flood Elevation in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Westchester County handle flood elevation.