For a new accessory building, can the floor be below BFE?
Yes, as long as these other requirements are met:
a. The building is used only for storage or parking
b. The building is wet-flood-proofed
c. The building doesn’t make flooding worse on someone else’s property
d. The building design complies with the City’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (Menlo Park Municipal Code 12.42.51 (3) (E)) and FEMA technical bulletin 7-93.

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1. I’m adding on to my house which is in the flood zone. What rules do I have to follow?
2. What is a Substantial Improvement?
3. What is a Base Flood?
4. What is the Base Flood Elevation (BFE)?
5. If I want to build a new house or substantial improvement in the flood zone, can the crawl space floor be below the BFE?
6. What does wet-flood-proofed mean?
7. What are flood resistant materials?
8. If I want to build a new house or substantial improvement in the flood zone, can the crawl space floor be below the lowest adjacent grade of the soil surrounding the building?
9. For a new accessory building, can the floor be below BFE?
10. If I want to make a substantial improvement to my house in the flood zone, do I have to raise the house if the bottom of my floor joists are below BFE?
11. Is it possible for a property owner to avoid triggering the City’s Substantial Improvement Ordinance requirements by phasing their improvements?
12. Can the floor of a garage which is attached to the main house be constructed below the base flood elevation?
13. When determining whether a project is a FEMA substantial improvement do I add the value of improvement projects to my house and my detached garage?
14. When determining whether a project is a FEMA substantial improvement how do decide the house value if part was built pre-FIRM and part was built post-FIRM?
15. Where is the City’s Flood Management Protection Ordinance online?
16. Who do I call if these FAQs don’t answer my questions?