Guilford County, NC Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)

Guilford County's Unified Development Ordinance, Subsec. 9.3 (Flood Damage Prevention), adopted under N.C.G.S. Chapter 143, Article 21, Part 6, governs every Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) in the unincorporated county, including bona fide farms, which are not exempt from floodway and floodplain development standards. Before any development activity in an SFHA, a Floodplain Development Permit must be obtained from the Floodplain Administrator (Subsec. 9.3.F).

Under Subsec. 9.3.P.2.a, new construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure, including manufactured homes, must have its reference level, including the basement, elevated no lower than the Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation (RFPE). The code defines RFPE as the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus 2 feet of freeboard; where no BFE has been established, the structure must sit at least 2 feet above the highest adjacent grade. Non-residential structures face the same elevation standard but may instead be floodproofed to the RFPE if a registered professional engineer or architect certifies the floodproofing meets Subsec. 9.3.P.2.b's watertight, hydrostatic-load standards. Manufactured homes with chassis elevated more than 36 inches above grade require an engineering certification; those 36 inches or less must be supported on reinforced piers or an engineered foundation.

A property owner seeking to build below the BFE must apply for a variance through the county's appeal board, which weighs flood risk, alternative sites and public safety factors under Subsec. 9.3.O. Anyone granted a variance receives written notice that building below BFE can raise flood insurance premiums by as much as $25 per $100 of coverage.