FYI Raised basements while being permitted by the city are not approved by NFIP (flood ins.). NFIP allows it but you will be rated with higher premiums. You can not have any enclosed structure on the ground, nor can you exclude any room from flood coverage. IE, no more than 3 walls. I was told twice by NFIP. If anyone knows differently please advise. I see other new raised basement building going on.

Thanks for posting such important info. It certainly impacts our intentions--we blithely thought returning (losing) our ground floor den (typical Lakeview hi-low home) to become an attached enclosed garage would not be a problem as long as the rest of the house met the elevation "guidelines (whatever those are)".
So what is the solution, NFIP?
Maybe we can dig a moat 3 feet deep adjacent to the house and gain the 3 feet above adjacent land that way. Makes just about as much sense.
And how do we deal with wheelchair access--an issue for us.