I had occasion to look into this question as I just listed the home at 13133 Alton Rd in the Alton Developement in Palm Beach Gardens which also includes Artistry.

I looked at the taxes and noted 2 non ad valorem line items paid to the Northern Palm Beach County Improvement district noted as N.P.B. CO. IMPROV. DIST. 2C DEBT and N.P.B. CO. IMPROV. DIST. 2C MAINT. What’s that all about?

Basically, Kolter made a deal. In Alton, ONLY Alton Rd,Grandiflora and Pasteur are owned by the City of Palm Beach Gardens. Many other roads, and the lakes, and the water collection system is owned by the NPCID. Why? It has a little to do with the fact the land was once going to beused for Scripts but basically there was a bond issued for 55M that was to…

And then there was an Amendment to this bond to increase same.

So basically, Kolter got the District to issue a bond for much of the site infrastructure like roads, lakes, sidewalks and landscaping and this non ad valorem charge is to to pay Principle and interest to the bond holders. The smaller non ad valorem line item is for the maintenance of the roads, lakes and such the district owns.

Since Palm Beach County complies with the National Flood Insurance Program they set the minimum elevation of all new, or substantially improved structures. MOST, but not all, of Palm Beach Country Estates is in FEMA Flood Zone X, so not in the flood zone. If you’re in the very north end of the community you may be in the flood zone.

If one looks at Article 18 Palm Beach County Amendments to the Unified Land Development code then we see that…

4. For New Construction and Substantial Improvements, including electrical systems, equipment and components, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, plumbing appliances and plumbing fixtures, duct systems, and other service equipment, in Zones X, X500, and areas not studied, without a master stormwater drainage system, the Base Flood Elevation shall be at least 18 inches above the LARC. Flood-proofing may be used, subject to applicable provisions of the Florida Building Code, as may be amended.

The Florida Building Code requires the first floor of LIVING SPACE for all new or substantially improved structures intended for habitaion to be elevated 12″ above the Base Flood Elevation.

Thus, in paces like Jupiter Farms and thos in Palm Beach Country Estates who are NOT in a Special Flood Hazard Area there is no Base Flood Elevation specifed by FEMA on the applicable FIRM the first floor living space must be elevated 1.5’+1’=2.5′ above the Lowest Adjacent Road Crown…

Lowest Adjacent Roadway Crown (LARC) – for the purposes of Art. 18, Flood Damage Prevention, the lowest elevation of any point in the crown of a street or road immediately next to the site of a new structure. [Ord. 2004-013]

Since Palm Beach County complies with the National Flood Insurance Program they set the minimum elevation of all new, or substantially improved structures. Jupiter farms is in FEMA Flood Zone X, so not in the flood zone.

If one looks at Article 18 Palm Beach County Amendments to the Unified Land Development code then we see that…

4. For New Construction and Substantial Improvements, including electrical systems, equipment and components, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, plumbing appliances and plumbing fixtures, duct systems, and other service equipment, in Zones X, X500, and areas not studied, without a master stormwater drainage system, the Base Flood Elevation shall be at least 18 inches above the LARC. Flood-proofing may be used, subject to applicable provisions of the Florida Building Code, as may be amended.

The Florida Building Code requires the first floor of LIVING SPACE for all new or substantially improved structures intended for habitaion to be elevated 12″ above the Base Flood Elevation.

Thus, in paces like Jupiter Farms where they are NOT in a Special Flood Hazard Area so there is no Base Flood Elevation specifed by FEMA on the applicable FIRM the first floor living space must be elevated 1.5’+1’=2.5′ above the Lowest Adjacent Road Crown…

Lowest Adjacent Roadway Crown (LARC) – for the purposes of Art. 18, Flood Damage Prevention, the lowest elevation of any point in the crown of a street or road immediately next to the site of a new structure. [Ord. 2004-013]