Springfield, MA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- District
- FEMA Zone A / AE areas
- Permit required
- Special Permit, Board of Appeals
- FIRM date
- June 7, 2023, Hampden County
- Large subdivisions
- BFE data needed over 50 lots/5 acres
- Mobile homes
- Prohibited in Floodplain District
Summary
Springfield, Massachusetts requires a Board of Appeals special permit for any construction in its Floodplain Overlay District, and applicants must document the mean sea level elevation of the lowest habitable floor and any flood-proofing before building in a FEMA-mapped Zone A or AE area of Hampden County.
B. The location, dimensions and mean sea level of the lowest habitable floor, including basement of existing and proposed BUILDINGs and STRUCTURE thereon, and the elevation to which the STRUCTURE has been flood-proofed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
The Floodplain Overlay District covers FEMA Zone A and AE areas shown on the Hampden County Flood Insurance Rate Map dated June 7, 2023. Any new construction, addition, fence, shed, or grading in the district needs a special permit from the Board of Appeals, and the application must show the mean sea level elevation of the lowest habitable floor and any flood-proofing measures, plus two-foot contour intervals within 200 feet of the work. Subdivisions over 50 lots or 5 acres must submit technical data establishing base flood elevations for every developable parcel, and mobile homes and mobile home parks are barred outright from the district.
Violations & Fines
Building without the required special permit or elevation documentation is a zoning violation: a $100 fine for a first offense, $300 for each repeat offense, with every day of noncompliance counted as a separate offense (§ 11.1.21).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Springfield require homes to be built above the base flood elevation?
Can I build a shed or fence in Springfield's floodplain without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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