Newton County, GA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Sec. 26-57 governs streams that sit within an area of special flood hazard but lack published base flood elevation (BFE) data. The floodplain administrator must first try to obtain scientific or historic BFE and floodway data from federal, state or other sources; only if none exists do the section's own standards apply. Under Sec. 26-57(b), no encroachment, meaning structures or fill material, may be placed within an area equal to the width of the stream or 35 feet, whichever is greater, measured from the top of the stream bank, unless a registered professional engineer certifies the encroachment will not raise flood levels during a base flood discharge.

Sec. 26-57(c) then sets the elevation floor for construction outside that buffer: new construction and substantial improvements must have the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area, including any basement, elevated no less than three feet above the highest adjacent grade at the building site, with flood vents meeting the Sec. 26-55(d) opening standard, and heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing equipment elevated to that same three-foot mark. The floodplain administrator certifies the recorded lowest floor elevation, and that record becomes a permanent part of the permit file.