Environmental Rules in Winter Haven, FL (2026)
4 verified environmental rules for Winter Haven, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Winter Haven requires most new development and redevelopment to submit a stormwater management plan and hold post-development runoff at or below pre-development levels under Unified Land Development Code Section 21-161. Owner-occupied single-family lots and small redevelopment projects under half an acre are exempt.
Winter Haven Stormwater Management Rules
Some RestrictionsWinter Haven Unified Land Development Code § 21-161
Stormwater runoff is recognized, both as a valuable natural resource critical to the maintenance of water quantity in the Central Florida lakes, as well as a significant contributor of pollutants which affect the quality of the lake waters. ... (b)Any person proposing development or redevelopment in the City, which is not exempted by section 21-161(a), shall submit, as part of, or attached to, ...
Erosion Control
Winter Haven requires developers building under a site development plan, subdivision review, or infill single-family project to follow standard USDA erosion-control practices during construction and to mulch, seed, or sod every disturbed area afterward, with unmaintained, eroding sites treated as code violations.
Winter Haven Construction Erosion Control Rules
Some RestrictionsWinter Haven Unified Land Development Code §§ 21-296, 21-308
Whenever in this Code or in any ordinance of the City any act is prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful or an offense ... where no specific penalty is provided therefore, the violation of any such provision of this Code or any ordinance shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00). ... The following soil conservation measures shall apply to all developmen...
Flood Zones
Winter Haven requires a floodplain development permit for any construction, fill, grading, or utility work wholly or partly inside a mapped flood hazard area, administered under the Unified Land Development Code's floodplain management division and tied to the adopted Polk County flood insurance rate maps.
Winter Haven Floodplain Development Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsWinter Haven Unified Land Development Code §§ 21-256, 21-259, 21-263
The flood insurance study for Polk County, Florida and incorporated areas dated December 22, 2016, and all subsequent amendments and revisions, and the accompanying flood insurance rate maps (FIRM), and all subsequent amendments and revisions to such maps, are adopted by reference as a part of this Code and shall serve as the minimum basis for establishing flood hazard areas. ... Any owner or o...
Flood Elevation Requirements
Winter Haven Code of Ordinances Section 5-23 amends the Florida Building Code to require new buildings' lowest floors to sit at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation, the ASCE 24 standard, or the 100-year elevation, whichever sets the highest floor. A FEMA Elevation Certificate must document the finished height.
Winter Haven Flood Elevation Freeboard Rule
Some RestrictionsWinter Haven Code of Ordinances § 5-23
(a)Amend the Florida Building Code, Building, and the Florida Building Code, Residential, as follows: Requirements in other flood areas. In areas delineated as "Other Flood Areas" on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the City of Winter Haven, new buildings and structures shall have the lowest floors and exterior mechanical equipment elevated to or above 2 feet above the highest adjacent grade, ...
Looking for Polk County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Winter Haven city rules.
Environmental Rules in Polk County →