Allentown, PA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Chapter 298, adopted February 16, 2022 by Ordinance No. 15789, makes it unlawful under § 298-4 to undertake construction or development anywhere within an identified floodplain area without a permit from the city's Floodplain Manager; § 298-11 restates the same permit requirement. The Floodplain Manager, appointed under § 298-10 (or the Director of Community and Economic Development if the post is vacant), reviews applications for conformance with the chapter and all other applicable codes.

Section 298-21 identifies the floodplain area as the special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) shown on FEMA's Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps dated July 16, 2004, or the most recent revision, and adopts those maps into the chapter. Section 298-22 breaks the identified area into four districts: the Floodway, where no fill, new construction or other development is allowed unless a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis shows no increase in flood levels, and where any new construction also needs a Department of Environmental Protection permit; the AE Area, split into segments with and without a mapped floodway, the latter requiring the same no-rise demonstration; the A Area, where no base flood elevation is mapped and the city may require the lowest floor at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade absent better data; and the AO/AH Area, subject to one-to-three-foot shallow flooding, where drainage paths must route water around structures. Section 298-26D also bars new construction within 50 feet landward of a watercourse's top of bank, except for bridges, docks, piers, utilities and specified low-impact improvements.

Appeals from a Floodplain Manager decision go to the Zoning Hearing Board within 30 days under § 298-20, with further appeal to the Lehigh County Court, and the city may set a filing fee by ordinance for that appeal.