Environmental Rules in Cleveland County, NC (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Cleveland County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Development in unincorporated Cleveland County cannot unreasonably impede natural drainage from higher adjacent land or channel collected surface water onto lower adjacent land in volumes that cause substantial damage, under Code section 12-272, backed by the drainage design standards of section 12-271.
Cleveland County Stormwater Drainage Rule
Some RestrictionsCleveland County Code § 12-272
All developments shall be constructed and maintained so adjacent properties are not unreasonably burdened with surface waters as a result of such developments. More specifically: (1)No development may be constructed or maintained so that such development unreasonably impedes the natural flow of water from higher adjacent properties across such development, thereby unreasonably causing substanti...
Erosion Control
Before Cleveland County will issue a zoning permit, special use permit, or final subdivision approval for a project that disturbs land within the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission's jurisdiction, County Code Section 12-273 requires the commission to certify that an erosion control plan has been approved, or that one is on track for approval before construction begins.
Erosion Control Plans for Cleveland County Development
Some RestrictionsCleveland County Code § 12-273
(a)No zoning or special use permit may be issued and final approval for subdivisions may not be given with respect to any development that would cause land disturbing activity subject to the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission, under section G.S. § 113A-57(4), unless the commission has certified to the county either that:(1)An erosion control plan has been submit...
Flood Zones
In unincorporated Cleveland County, any development inside a FEMA-mapped special flood hazard area falls under the floodplain overlay zoning district established by Code section 12-251, and it needs a floodplain development permit from the administrator under section 12-254 before any development activity begins.
Cleveland County Floodplain Development Permit
Significant RestrictionsCleveland County Code §§ 12-251, 12-254(a)
The special flood hazard areas are those identified under the Cooperating Technical State (CTS) agreement between the State of North Carolina and FEMA in its flood insurance study (FIS) and its accompanying flood insurance rate maps (FIRM), for Cleveland County dated February 20, 2008, which are adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter. These special flood hazard areas sha...
Flood Elevation Requirements
New construction in a Cleveland County special flood hazard area has to clear the 'regulatory flood protection elevation,' defined in § 12-21 as the base flood elevation plus three feet of freeboard. Section 12-258(a) requires every new or substantially improved residential structure, including manufactured homes, to have its reference level elevated to that height or higher.
Cleveland County Flood Elevation Freeboard Rule
Some RestrictionsCleveland County Code §§ 12-21, 12-258(a)
Regulatory flood protection elevation. ... The BFE plus the freeboard. In special flood hazard areas where the BFE has been determined, this elevation shall be the BFE plus three (3) feet of freeboard. In special flood hazard areas where no BFE has been established, this elevation shall be at least three (3) feet above the highest adjacent grade. ... (a)Residential construction. New constructio...
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