Miramar, FL Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard
- 2 feet above base flood elevation
- Manufactured home elevation
- Frame bottom at BFE plus 2 feet
- Accessory structure exception
- One story, 600 sq ft max, below BFE
- Permit authority
- Building, planning and zoning director
- Governing flood maps
- Broward County FIS dated July 31, 2024
- Variance body
- City Commission hears appeals and variances
Summary
Miramar requires new buildings and substantially improved structures in mapped flood hazard areas to sit at least two feet above the base flood elevation, the freeboard the city added as a local technical amendment to the Florida Building Code. The building, planning and zoning director serves as floodplain administrator and must issue a floodplain development permit before qualifying construction begins in a Special Flood Hazard Area.
610.4. Florida Building Code, Local Technical Amendment. Minimum building elevations in flood hazard areas. The minimum elevation for buildings in flood hazard areas that are within the scope of the Florida Building Code, Building, shall be, as specified in ASCE 24, the base flood elevation plus 2 feet, or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher. The minimum elevation for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses in flood hazard areas that are within the scope of the Florida Building Code, Residential, shall be the base flood elevation plus 2 feet or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 104 | Land Development Code: Supplement 46).
Full Breakdown
Land Development Code Chapter 6, Flood Damage Protection, sets Miramar's hurricane-season flood elevation standards. 4 requires that buildings within the scope of the Florida Building Code sit at the base flood elevation plus 2 feet, or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher, applying the same standard to one- and two-family dwellings, townhouses, and nonresidential structures. 4). 6). 5). 4). 3). 8).
Violations & Fines
Development undertaken without a floodplain development permit, built in conflict with an issued permit, or lacking required elevation certification is presumed a violation until documentation is produced (§ 608.1). The floodplain administrator may issue a notice of violation or stop-work order; continuing work after that notice brings prosecution under City Code § 2-330 et seq., with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense (§§ 608.2, 608.3, 608.4).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much freeboard does Miramar require above base flood elevation?
Who administers Miramar's flood elevation rules?
Can an accessory structure sit below the required flood elevation?
What happens if I build below the required elevation without a variance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miramar
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miramar to another location·View the Florida hurricane preparedness overview
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Flood Elevation in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Broward County handle flood elevation.