FEMA flood zone rules in Solano County, CA — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Solano County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and regulates development in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) under Solano County Code Chapter 12.2 — Flood Damage Prevention. Large floodplain areas exist along the Sacramento River and Suisun Marsh, around Putah Creek, and along many smaller drainages. Any building, zoning, use, or grading permit within an SFHA is referred to the Floodplain Administrator before approval.
Chapter 12.2 of the Solano County Code is the Solano County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance. It defines a Special Flood Hazard Area as land in the floodplain subject to a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year (the 100-year floodplain — FEMA zones A, AE, AH, AO, A99, V, VE). When an application is submitted for any building, zoning, use, or grading permit, the Solano County building inspector or Director of Resource Management must determine whether the site is in an SFHA; if so, the application is referred to the County Floodplain Administrator for review. New residential construction in an SFHA must have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to at least the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), and many parts of unincorporated Solano County also require freeboard above BFE. Non-residential structures may be elevated or dry-floodproofed. The Suisun Marsh, a major SFHA, is additionally regulated under Solano County's component of the Suisun Marsh Local Protection Program. FEMA flood-zone designations also determine whether federally backed mortgages require a flood insurance policy. Owners can check their flood zone through FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or the County's Flood Zone Determination service.
Constructing, expanding, or substantially improving a structure in an SFHA without the floodplain permit and elevation certificate required by Chapter 12.2 is a code violation: the County can issue a stop-work order, require corrective elevation, and report non-compliance to FEMA — which can result in loss of NFIP eligibility for the property or, in extreme cases, for the County. Violators can also be cited under the general penalty provisions of Solano County Code Chapter 1.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Solano County, CA
Solano County allows standard fence materials for residential lots without a general material ban. Section 28.94.I requires a solid wall or fence approved by...
Solano County, CA
Beyond height, Solano County's Zoning Code requires screening fences in certain situations. Section 28.94.I requires a minimum six-foot-high solid wall or fe...
Solano County, CA
In unincorporated Solano County, retaining walls not over 4 feet in height, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, are exempt from a...
Solano County, CA
Solano County's Zoning Code (Chapter 28) sets fence height and placement, but cost-sharing and disputes over boundary fences are governed by California Civil...
Solano County, CA
Solano County Code Chapter 4 has no provision using the term 'hoarding,' but it addresses the underlying conditions: it bars keeping animals in numbers or co...
Solano County, CA
Solano County Code Chapter 4 contains no general ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wild animals such as deer, coyotes, or raccoons in unincorporated areas...
See how Solano County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.