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

Aurora, CO Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Significant Restrictions

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

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

Key Facts

Permit authority: City floodplain administrator
Governs: Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)
Map source: FEMA Arapahoe County FIS, 2010
Floodway storage: Buoyant/flammable materials barred
Applies: Citywide (Arapahoe, Adams, Douglas Co.)

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 Aurora, CO.

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 Aurora, CO on the FEMA flood map

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

Summary

In Aurora, Colorado, all development in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area is prohibited unless the floodplain administrator first issues a floodplain development permit.

All development in a SFHA is prohibited unless a floodplain development permit for such development has been issued by the floodplain administrator pursuant to the requirements of this article. The floodplain development permit shall be required in addition to all other permits and requirements of this Code.

Source: Aurora City Code §70-21 FloodplainView official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Aurora City Code § 70-8 bars all development in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) without a floodplain development permit issued by the city's floodplain administrator, required in addition to every other permit the project needs. The SFHA is the area FEMA mapped in the Arapahoe County Flood Insurance Study, adopted by reference under § 70-6, and any structure or land use change there must fully comply with the article (§ 70-9). Within the floodway, certain uses are outright barred; elsewhere in the SFHA, § 70-13 allows only listed open-space and agricultural uses by right, with structures or fill needing a special-use floodplain permit. Buoyant, flammable, or explosive material storage is prohibited outright in the SFHA under § 70-13(b)(3).

Violations & Fines

Building, filling, or changing land use in the SFHA without a floodplain development permit is a code violation punishable under City Code § 1-13's general penalty; the city may also pursue any other lawful remedy to stop or reverse noncompliant work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to build in an Aurora floodplain?

Yes. City Code § 70-8 prohibits any development in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area without a floodplain development permit from the floodplain administrator, on top of your normal building permit.

What flood maps does Aurora use?

Aurora adopted FEMA's Flood Insurance Study for Arapahoe County and Incorporated Areas (Dec. 17, 2010), plus any FEMA map revisions, as its official SFHA boundaries under § 70-6 and § 70-7.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Aurora

Vehicle Idling RestrictionsSome Restrictions Flood Elevation RequirementsSome Restrictions Erosion ControlSome Restrictions Stormwater ManagementSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSome Restrictions Fence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer RulesSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Rescue PermitsSome Restrictions

All Aurora rules

Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado environmental rules overview

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.

Flood Zones in Nearby Cities

How other cities in Arapahoe County handle flood zones.

Centennial, CO

Heavy Restrictions