El Paso County, CO Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Unincorporated subdivision plats only
- Governing section
- LDC § 8.4.2(B)(1)(e)
- Zone A trigger distance
- Within 300 feet of Zone A
- Alternative
- Engineer/architect Floodplain Certification Letter
Summary
El Paso County subdivision plats must show approved base flood elevation data and 100-year floodplain boundaries, with FEMA-approved elevations required near any Zone A floodplain.
Base flood elevation data approved by the jurisdictional floodplain authority and 100 year floodplain boundaries shall be shown on the plat. ... If any portion of a division of land is located within 300 feet of a Zone A Floodplain, FEMA-approved base flood elevations and boundaries are required to be determined and shown on the plat, or the applicant may provide a Floodplain Certification Letter by a professional engineer or architect.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Development Code: Supplement 3 | Drainage Criteria Manual: Publication | Engineering Criteria Manual: Supplement 3 | Ordinances: Reformat).
Full Breakdown
Under LDC § 8.4.2(B)(1)(e), divisions of land in unincorporated El Paso County must show base flood elevation data approved by the jurisdictional floodplain authority, plus the 100-year floodplain boundary, on the plat. If any part of the land being divided sits within 300 feet of a Zone A floodplain, the applicant must get FEMA-approved base flood elevations and boundaries determined and shown on the plat, or submit a professional engineer's or architect's Floodplain Certification Letter instead.
Violations & Fines
The Floodplain Administrator reviews subdivision applications for compliance; a plat cannot be recorded without the required base flood elevation data, 100-year floodplain boundary, or Zone A certification shown, so noncompliant plats are withheld from recording.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does El Paso County require freeboard above base flood elevation?
What must be shown on a plat near a floodplain?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Paso County
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