Does Appleton, WI have its own flood zones ordinance?

No. Appleton, WI does not appear to have a local flood zones ordinance, Wisconsin state law applies instead. The rules summarized on this page come from the Wisconsin statute.

Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Appleton

Appleton, WI Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Heavy Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

FEMA flood zone rules in Appleton, WI, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.

Key Facts

Authority: Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 mandates
Standards: Wis. Admin. Code NR 116
DFIRM Effective: July 22, 2010
Principal Waterway: Fox River through city
Flood Study: Fox River HEC-RAS 2008
NFIP Participation: City participates
Elevation Standard: 2 ft freeboard above regional flood

FEMA Flood Zone Lookup

FEMA assigns every parcel in the U.S. a flood-hazard designation on its Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Zones starting with A or V are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas where federally backed mortgages require NFIP flood insurance. Zone X indicates moderate-to-minimal risk, where insurance is optional but often recommended. Your specific zone determines insurance cost, build elevation, and permit requirements in Appleton, WI.

Zone	What it means	NFIP required?
A	High-risk flood area; 1% annual chance flood, no detailed analysis.	Yes
AE	High-risk; same as A but with established Base Flood Elevations.	Yes
AH	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft), usually ponding.	Yes
AO	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft) with sheet flow on sloping terrain.	Yes
V	High-risk coastal zone subject to wave action (no BFE).	Yes
VE	High-risk coastal zone with wave action and established BFEs.	Yes
X (shaded)	Moderate risk; between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance flood.	Recommended
X	Minimal risk; outside the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.	No

Look up Appleton, WI on the FEMA flood map

FEMA maps update periodically; verify zone before buying flood insurance or building.

Summary

The City of Appleton participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and regulates floodplain development through its Title 23 Zoning Ordinance, in conformance with Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 and Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR 116, plus 44 CFR 59-72. The Fox River is the primary flood source through the city. Effective FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for Outagamie County, including Appleton panels, were issued July 22, 2010, derived in part from the Fox River HEC-RAS 2008 Appleton Leverage Study. Development in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas requires zoning approval, and structures in the regulatory floodway are prohibited or strictly limited.

87.30 87.30 Floodplain zoning. 87.30(1) (1) State powers. 87.30(1)(a) (a) If any county, city or village does not adopt a reasonable and effective floodplain zoning ordinance within one year after hydraulic and engineering data adequate to formulate the ordinance becomes available, the department shall, upon petition of an interested state agency or a municipality or upon its own motion as soon as practicable and after public hearing, determine and fix by order the limits of any or all floodplains within a county, city or village within which serious damage may occur. Thereafter the department shall as soon as practicable after public hearing adopt a floodplain zoning ordinance applicable to a county, city or village, except that no floodplain zoning ordinance may be enacted unless the hydraulic and engineering studies necessary to determine the floodway or floodplain limits, or both, if both limits are deemed necessary by the department, have been made at state or federal expense. 87.30(2) (2) Enforcement and penalties. 87.30(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b) , every structure, building, fill, or development placed or maintained within any floodplain in violation of a zoning ordinance adopted under this section, or s. 59.69 , 61.35 or 62.23 is a public nuisance and the creation thereof may be enjoined and maintenance thereof may be abated by action at suit of any municipality, the state or any citizen thereof. Any person who places or maintains any structure, building, fill or development within any floodplain in violation of a zoning ordinance adopted under this section, or s. 59.69 , 61.35 or 62.23 may be fined not more than $50 for each offense. Each day during which such violation exists is a separate offense.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.

Full Breakdown

Wisconsin requires every municipality with mapped floodplain or that participates in the NFIP to adopt a floodplain zoning ordinance meeting the minimum standards of Chapter NR 116 (Wis. Admin. Code) and 44 CFR Parts 59-72, under the authority of Wis. Stat. Sec. 30. The City of Appleton, located in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties, administers floodplain zoning within its corporate limits as part of Title 23. The Fox River is the principal regulated waterway through the city. The currently effective Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map for Outagamie County (which contains most of Appleton) became effective July 22, 2010, with hydraulic data updated using the Fox River HEC-RAS 2008 Appleton Leverage Study (FEMA Case 07-05-4870S).

13). Floodplain permits are issued by the Wisconsin DNR-approved local zoning administrator before any building permit may be issued. gov) and National Flood Hazard Layer, provides the authoritative maps.

Violations & Fines

Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30(2) and NR 116.21 require enforcement of local floodplain zoning. Violations - including filling, structural development, or occupancy of habitable space in the floodway, or building below the flood protection elevation in the flood fringe - can result in citation, daily forfeitures, removal/restoration orders, and loss of NFIP eligibility for the property. Misrepresenting elevation data on a permit application is independently actionable. Failure of a community to enforce can lead to suspension from the NFIP under 44 CFR Part 59.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who regulates floodplain development in Appleton?

The City of Appleton enforces floodplain zoning under Title 23, in conformance with Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 and Wis. Admin. Code Chapter NR 116. The Wisconsin DNR provides oversight, and FEMA maintains the Flood Insurance Rate Maps used to delineate Special Flood Hazard Areas.

When did the current FEMA flood maps for Appleton take effect?

The Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Outagamie County, which include most of Appleton, became effective July 22, 2010. They incorporate the Fox River HEC-RAS 2008 Appleton Leverage Study for the Fox River.

Can I build a new house in the Fox River floodway in Appleton?

No. Under Wis. Admin. Code NR 116, new residential structures are prohibited in the regulatory floodway. In the flood fringe, habitable space must be elevated to the flood protection elevation (regional flood elevation plus freeboard, typically 2 feet).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Appleton

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome Restrictions Parking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome Restrictions Boat Dock PermitsSome Restrictions Erosion ControlSignificant Restrictions Flood Elevation RequirementsSome Restrictions Stormwater ManagementSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Loading ZonesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Snow Removal Parking RulesSignificant Restrictions

All Appleton rules

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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities

How other cities in Outagamie County handle flood zones.

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