Floodplain Development Permits

Class 1 Permit
Class 2 Permit

Requirements for Structures

To minimize damage to structures during flood events, the City requires all new and substantially-improved structures in the floodplain to be anchored against movement by floodwaters, be resistant to flood forces and to be constructed with flood resistant materials. In addition, new structures and substantial improvements to existing structures must be elevated so that the lowest floor (including the basement) is at least one foot above the base flood elevation. All electrical, mechanical, plumbing and other service facilities shall be elevated a minimum of one foot above the base flood elevation. This can be done in one of the following ways:

  • Elevation on fill

  • Elevation on piles, posts, piers, or columns

  • Elevation on walls or a crawlspace

  • Dry floodproofing for any non-residential structure

Builders should work closely with a registered professional land surveyor, engineer, or architect authorized by law to certify elevation information. It is helpful to involve your survey professional early in the planning stages of a project so that minimum required elevations can be marked on-site. An elevation certificate will be required prior to permit issuance or scheduling a foundation inspection. You will also need to provide an elevation certificate after completion of the proposed structure and prior to issuance of the final certificate of occupancy. Elevation certificates are permanently retained by the City and provide essential information demonstrating compliance with local and federal floodplain development requirements.

Substantial Damage to Structures

After a presidentially declared disaster, homes damaged by flood waters will be inspected to determine whether a structure was damaged to the extent that it will have to meet current building codes and floodplain management regulations when it is repaired. The City must also make a determination of “substantial damage” to a severely damaged home or other structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area, regardless of the cause of damage. This can include damage caused by events such as fire, windstorms, ice and flooding. If the cost of repairing the structure is 50 percent or more of its market value before the disaster, it is considered substantially damaged. Land value is not a consideration; the determination is based strictly on the value of the damaged structure. If your home or structure has been damaged and your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, please contact a local floodplain manager prior to preparing repair plans.

Questions or Concerns

If you have concerns about construction activity or structures being erected in the floodplain without a permit, you can file a complaint about building construction and a floodplain manager will investigate the concern.