Which building requirement states that base elevation can be met by fill dirt or elevated construction?

• A. Building requirements for Zone A
• B. Zone X
• C. Buffer Zone
• D. Building requirements for Zone V

Answer: (A)

Base flood elevation is the level builders must meet to reduce flood risk. In Zone A, maps don’t show a precise BFE, so the code requires establishing a base elevation for the site and allows you to meet it either by filling the land to raise the grade or by elevating the structure on supports. This gives flexibility: you can choose to bring in fill to raise the lowest point, or you can raise the building itself above the required level.

Zone X typically lies outside the high flood hazard area, so BFE considerations aren’t the same, and Zone V, a coastal high-hazard area, has stricter elevation requirements tied to wave action, where simply filling to meet a grade isn’t the same option. The option described—meeting base elevation by fill or by elevating the structure—is specific to Zone A building requirements.