Flood Zones: Neenah vs Oshkosh

The City of Neenah participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and regulates floodplain development in conformance with Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 and Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR 116, plus 44 CFR Parts 59-72. Lake Winnebago and the Fox River are the principal flood sources through the city. Development in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas requires zoning approval before any building permit is issued, new residential structures are prohibited in the regulatory floodway, and structures in the flood fringe must have the lowest floor of habitable space elevated to the flood protection elevation. FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Winnebago County and the City of Neenah are the regulatory maps.

The City of Oshkosh administers floodplain and shoreland zoning within its corporate limits through Chapter 30 of the Municipal Code, using overlay zoning districts including the Floodplain Overlay (FP-O), Shoreland Overlay (SL-O), Lakefront Residential Overlay (LR-O), and Riverfront Overlay (RF-O). The ordinance is adopted under Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 and conforms to Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR 116, plus 44 CFR Parts 59-72 for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. The principal flood sources in Oshkosh are Lake Winnebago and the Fox River. Effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps and the Flood Insurance Study for Winnebago County are published by FEMA and available through the FEMA Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov) and the Winnebago County Adopted Floodplain Viewer.