Sarasota County, FL Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)
Key Facts
- Base freeboard
- BFE plus 1.0 foot
- Coastal High Hazard Areas
- Same 1.0 ft, at lowest structural member
- Critical facilities
- BFE plus 3 feet
- Zone AO default depth
- 3 ft above Highest Adjacent Grade
- Administering official
- County Floodplain Administrator
- Appeal deadline
- 30 calendar days to Board of Adjustment
- Max penalty
- $500 fine, 60 days jail per day
Summary
New construction and substantial improvements in Sarasota County's Special Flood Hazard Areas must elevate the lowest floor at least 1.0 foot above the Base Flood Elevation, the freeboard standard set by Sec. 54-516(a)(1) of the county's Floodprone Areas ordinance. Coastal High Hazard Areas seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line carry the same 1.0-foot freeboard, and critical facilities must clear Base Flood Elevation by three feet.
(1)Minimum Elevation Requirements. All new residential and non-residential construction and Substantial Improvements to existing residential and non-residential Structures shall have the Lowest Floor elevated to or above the Base Flood Elevation plus 1.0 foot, the elevation required by the Florida Building Code, or to or above the 100-year 24-hour maximum flood stage plus 1.0 foot, 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 98).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 0 foot, whichever is higher. Sec. 54-513(b)(5) defines BFE as the highest water surface elevation, including wave height, from the Base Flood as shown on the studies referenced in Sec. 54-514(b); Freeboard is separately defined as the added height above BFE used as a safety factor for the elevation to which the Lowest Floor must be raised. In Coastal High Hazard Areas and Coastal A Zones seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, Sec. 0 foot. Where BFE data has not been mapped (Zone A), Sec.
54-516(a)(4) requires the Lowest Floor at least one foot above the BFE the Floodplain Administrator determines under Sec. 54-519(1); Zone AO shallow-flooding sites without a mapped depth number default to 3 feet above the Highest Adjacent Grade. New critical facilities, such as schools, hospitals and emergency response installations, must clear BFE by three feet or more under Sec. 54-516(d). The Sarasota County Building Official, designated the Floodplain Administrator under Sec. 54-513(b)(8), administers these standards, and appeals of an elevation determination go to the County Building Code Board of Adjustments and Appeals within 30 calendar days under Sec. 54-519(e). These provisions were last amended by Ord. No. 2023-068 (adopted 12-12-2023) and Ord. No. 2024-070 (adopted 12-18-2024).
Violations & Fines
Sec. 54-520(a) makes violating the flood elevation requirements prosecutable as a misdemeanor under F.S. § 125.69, punishable by a fine up to $500.00, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both, with each day the violation continues a separate offense. Obstructing or resisting a Code Enforcement Officer enforcing the flood ordinance carries the identical fine and jail exposure under Sec. 54-520(b). The county can also pursue injunctive relief and Florida Statutes Chapter 162 enforcement, or cite the violation under Sarasota County Code Chapter 2, Article VIII, per Sec. 54-520(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
How far above flood level must new construction sit in unincorporated Sarasota County?
Does the freeboard rule change on the barrier islands and Gulf front?
Who administers Sarasota County's flood elevation requirements?
What is the penalty for building below the required flood elevation?
Can I appeal a Sarasota County flood elevation determination?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota County to another location·View the Florida hurricane preparedness overview
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