Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance

The City of Leeds Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance applies to all parcels within the corporate limits of the City of Leeds. The purpose of this ordinance is to promote public health, safety, and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in Special Flood Hazard Areas.

If you are planning any project (including, but not limited to, new construction, additions, alterations/repairs, etc.) within a Special Flood Hazard Area, visit to review the City of Leeds Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance and also review the requirements listed below:

Requirements for Development within Special Flood Hazard Areas

A, AE, AH, AO, A-1 through A-30 Zones

• A Temporary Benchmark or Elevation Certificate is required before the permit is issued.
• A Finished Construction Elevation Certificate must be submitted to the Development Office prior to scheduling a final inspection. The Elevation Certificate must be signed and stamped by an Alabama-registered design professional.
• The lowest floor of the structure must be elevated above the level of Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus a one-foot freeboard.
• All enclosed areas below BFE shall only be used for parking vehicles, unfinished building access, and a limited storage area for maintenance items used in conjunction with the property.
• No habitable area is allowed below Base Flood Elevation.
• Bathrooms and not allowed below BFE.
• Entrance foyers must be unfinished or must use flood-resistant materials below BFE.
• All enclosed areas below BFE shall have hydrostatic vents installed, a minimum of two separate walls, a minimum of two hydrostatic openings, one square inch of vent area to one square foot of storage or parking area installed within 12 inches of ground to allow for the automatic entry and exit of floodwater. Engineer design in lieu of the above may be accepted.*
• Flood-proof walls for nonresidential structures, with certified design by a professional engineer, are allowed.
• All construction material used below BFE must be flood-resistant to prevent rot or decay.#
• Electrical meters are allowed below BFE. Only one electrical outlet and switch with GFI protection is allowed below BFE; however, no additional electrical is allowed.
• No HVAC systems, equipment, or components are allowed below BFE.
• No plumbing fixtures or appliances (e.g. washers, dryers, water heaters, refrigerators, freezers, etc.) are allowed below BFE.
  • View the Requirements for Flood Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures, NFIP Technical Bulletin 1 (March 2020) (PDF)
  • View the Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements, Technical Bulletin 2 (August 2008) (PDF)
  • View the Free-of-Obstruction Requirements, NFIP Technical Bulletin 5 (March 2020) (PDF)
  • View the Design and Construction Guidance for Breakaway Walls (August 2008) (PDF)
  • View the Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements, Technical Bulletin 2 (August 2008) (PDF)

View the Flood Map