Environmental Rules in Craven County, NC (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Craven County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Craven County imposes extra stormwater design standards on subdivisions near primary nursery areas or their tributaries. Developers must leave a 75-foot no-disturbance conservation zone along the water, set structures back 100 feet from the mean low water line, and route runoff through swales instead of piping it straight into the water.
Coastal Subdivision Stormwater Rules, Craven County
Some RestrictionsCraven County Code ch. 41, art. II, § 701
In addition to all other requirements of this Article, subdivisions located adjacent to waters identified as primary nursery areas by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries or tributaries leading to such waters shall be designed to accomplish the following:(a)A permanent conservation zone of 75 feet shall be established in which all land disturbing activities will be prohibited, except...
Erosion Control
Craven County's subdivision ordinance requires new development to protect downstream streambanks and channels from erosion caused by land-disturbing activity. Where a storm drainage system can't reasonably be extended to a subdivision, the developer must design a surface drainage system that protects the development from water damage and meets state soil-conservation standards.
Streambank Erosion Protection, Craven County
Some RestrictionsCraven County Code ch. 41, art. II, § 506.1
(b)Where feasible, the Subdivider shall connect to an existing storm drainage system.(c)Where an existing storm drainage system cannot feasibly be extended to the subdivision, a surface drainage system shall be designed to protect the proposed development from water damage.(d)The proposed surface drainage design system shall meet all of the applicable rules and regulations of the North Carolina...
Flood Zones
Craven County Code Chapter 18 applies to every special flood hazard area in the county's jurisdiction, and § 18-8 requires a floodplain development permit before any development activity may begin there. Violations are a Class 1 misdemeanor under state law, punishable by up to $100.00 and 30 days in jail per day of violation, enforced by the floodplain administrator.
Craven County Floodplain Development Permit
Significant RestrictionsCraven County Code §§ 18-6, 18-8, 18-13
This chapter shall apply to all special flood hazard areas within the jurisdiction of Craven County. ... A floodplain development permit shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this chapter prior to the commencement of any development activities within special flood hazard areas as determined in article III, section 18-7. ... Violation of the provisions of this chapter or failur...
Flood Elevation Requirements
Craven County Code § 18-41 requires the reference level of every new or substantially improved residential structure in a special flood hazard area, including manufactured homes, to be elevated no lower than the regulatory flood protection elevation, which § 18-5 fixes at the base flood elevation plus a mandatory two feet of freeboard.
Craven County Base Flood Elevation and Freeboard
Significant RestrictionsCraven County Code §§ 18-5, 18-41
Freeboard means the height added to the BFE to account for the many unknown factors that could contribute to flood heights greater than the height calculated for a selected size flood and floodway conditions, such as wave action, blockage of bridge or culvert openings, storm surge or precipitation exceeding the base flood, and the hydrological effect of urbanization of the watershed. The BFE pl...
All Craven County ordinances
See every category we cover for Craven County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Craven County Ordinance Hub →