Environmental Rules in Ocean Springs, MS (2026)

Flood Zones

Ocean Springs participates in the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and enforces a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance through the Building Department. The ordinance requires 18 inches of freeboard above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) - more stringent than the federal NFIP minimum. The current FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) was effective March 2009, post-Hurricane Katrina (2005). A structure cannot receive more than 50% cumulative repairs/improvements over a 10-year period if it is not compliant with the current FIRM (substantial improvement rule under 44 CFR § 59.1).