Jonesboro, AR Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Jonesboro's stormwater management chapter requires that any lot proposed inside a local or FEMA-designated special flood hazard area (SFHA) be identified as such on the record plat, along with the effective base flood elevation (BFE), per Sec. 112-129(f)(1). The designed lowest floor of any structure built in the SFHA must be established by a professional engineer registered in Arkansas using good engineering practice, Sec. 112-129(f)(2). Compliance is documented on FEMA Form 086-0-33, the elevation certificate, which may be prepared and sealed by either a registered professional engineer or a registered land surveyor, Sec.

112-129(f)(3). The certificate must be prepared, submitted, and approved at three points in construction: with the construction drawings before a building permit is issued, again before the framing of any building wall system, and a final certificate after all construction is complete and before a certificate of occupancy is issued. Builders in the SFHA also fall under the floodplain development permit process at Sec. 112-107, requiring submission of the application and supporting documentation to the city planning office, which forwards it to the city engineer for review within 15 business days of receipt; a missed deadline is not deemed approval.

Sanitary sewer manholes located in a floodplain must carry either a watertight cover or a rim elevation at least one foot above the base flood's high water elevation, per Sec. 112-129(e). Failing to comply with the stormwater and floodplain regulations is a misdemeanor under Sec. 00 per day, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense.