Environmental Rules in Durham County, NC (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Durham County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Unincorporated Durham County requires a stormwater control permit before any qualifying land-disturbing development, per Sec. 14-152. Small residential projects under 12,000 sq ft of disturbance and under 500 sq ft of new impervious area are exempt, along with farming, mining, and forestry. Violators face civil penalties up to $5,000 per day plus misdemeanor prosecution.
Durham County Stormwater Permit Requirements
Some RestrictionsDurham County Code § 14-152
(a)All developments and redevelopment to which this article applies shall comply with the standards of this section and of the current official North Carolina Division of Environmental Quality New Stormwater Design Manual.(b)No development or redevelopment shall occur except in compliance with the provisions of this article or unless exempted. No development or redevelopment for which a permit ...
Flood Zones
Unincorporated Durham County requires a floodplain development permit for any structure built, extended, or altered, or any land disturbed, within FEMA-mapped special flood hazard areas, under Code Sec. 16.5-26 et seq. The stricter of state, local, or zoning-ordinance flood standards always controls, and violations are a misdemeanor with fines, jail time, or both.
Flood Damage Prevention Rules in Durham County
Some RestrictionsDurham County Code § 16.5-27(a)
(a)The flood hazard areas (floodway and floodway fringe) of the city and county are subject to periodic inundation which results in loss of life, or property, and hazards to health and safety, disruption of commerce and governmental services, extraordinary public expenditures of flood protection and relief, and impairment of the tax base, all of which adversely affect the public health, safety ...
Flood Elevation Requirements
Durham County requires two feet of freeboard above base flood elevation for any new home or substantial improvement in the floodway fringe. Sec. 16.5-72 sets the lowest floor, including the basement, no lower than two feet above base flood elevation for both residential and nonresidential construction, with separate rules for manufactured homes and recreational vehicles.
Durham County Base Flood Elevation Rule
Some RestrictionsDurham County Code Sec. 16.5-72(1)-(2)
(1)Residential construction. New construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure (see subsection (3) for information on manufactured homes) shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than two feet above the base flood elevation.(2)Nonresidential construction. New construction or substantial improvement of any commercial, industrial or nonresidential ...
Environmental Rules by City in Durham County
1 cities in Durham County have their own environmental rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Durham County ordinances
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