Newton County, GA Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)
Key Facts
- Freeboard required
- 3 feet above base flood elevation
- Utilities standard
- HVAC, electrical, plumbing elevated 3 ft above BFE
- Manufactured homes
- Lowest floor 3 ft above BFE or piers 36 in.
- RV exemption
- On site fewer than 30 consecutive days
- Non-residential option
- Flood-proof to 3 ft above BFE, PE-certified
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
Where FEMA base flood elevation data exist, unincorporated Newton County requires new construction and substantially improved structures, including manufactured homes, to have the lowest floor elevated at least three feet above the base flood elevation. Heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing equipment must sit at the same three-foot freeboard under Newton County Code Sec. 26-56.
New construction and/or substantial improvement of any structure or manufactured home shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than three feet 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 article IV, section 26-55(d), "Elevated Buildings". ... All heating and air conditioning equipment and components (including ductwork), all electrical, ventilation, plumbing, and other service facilities shall be elevated at or above three foot above the base flood elevation.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 26-56(a) sets the county's core freeboard standard: where base flood elevation (BFE) data are available, new construction or substantial improvement of any structure or manufactured home must have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than three feet above the BFE, and all heating, air conditioning, electrical, ventilation and plumbing equipment must be elevated at or above the same three-foot mark. If solid foundation perimeter walls are used to elevate a structure, flood vents meeting the Sec. 26-55(d) opening standard are required. Non-residential buildings may be flood-proofed instead of elevated under Sec.
26-56(b), but the structure and its utilities must be watertight to three feet above the BFE, with a professional engineer or architect certifying the design. For manufactured homes under Sec. 26-56(c), the lowest floor must be elevated three feet above the BFE, or in an existing manufactured home park the chassis may instead rest on reinforced piers at least 36 inches above grade; recreational vehicles are exempt only if they stay on site fewer than 30 consecutive days and remain licensed and ready for highway use.
Sec. 26-56(d) bars encroachments, including fill and new construction, within a designated floodway unless engineering analysis certified by a registered professional engineer shows no increase in flood levels or floodway width.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 26's general penalty in Sec. 26-27 applies: failure to meet the elevation and flood-proofing standards of Sec. 26-56 is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.00, imprisonment of not more than 60 days, or both, plus case costs. Each day the noncompliant condition continues is a separate offense, and the floodplain administrator can require a stop-work order or as-built correction before construction proceeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high above base flood elevation must new construction sit in unincorporated Newton County?
Can a business building be flood-proofed instead of raised on fill or piers?
Do manufactured homes follow the same three-foot rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newton County
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