Sparks, NV Environmental Rules: Coastal Development (2026)

0330, within the Floodplain Management chapter, governs land in special flood-related erosion hazard areas, delineated as Zone E on the community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Every floodplain development permit application is reviewed to determine whether the site sits in a Zone E hazard area and whether the proposed alterations or improvements are reasonably safe from flood-related erosion, and will not themselves cause or aggravate erosion hazards on the property or neighboring land. If staff find a proposed structure is in the path of active erosion, or that it would increase the erosion hazard, the Floodplain Administrator (the public works director or designee) can require the improvement to be relocated, or require protective measures that will not make the existing erosion hazard worse.

For any development confirmed to sit in a Zone E hazard area, the Administrator must impose a setback from the lake, bay, riverfront or other body of water, creating a safety buffer of natural vegetation or contour strip; the buffer's width is set according to the erosion rate and hazard, the anticipated useful life of the proposed structure, and the site's geologic, hydrologic, topographic and climatic characteristics. That buffer land may still be used for compatible open-space purposes such as agriculture, forestry, outdoor recreation or wildlife habitat, and for temporary or portable structures only.

0350, though the council must find the variance is the minimum necessary and record written notice that building below the base flood level raises flood-insurance premiums and risk.