Bessemer, AL Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Bessemer, AL, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Governing map
- Jefferson County FIS dated 9/24/2021
- Floodplain administrator
- City building inspection officer
- Permit required for
- Filling, grading, paving, new construction
- Max penalty
- $500.00 fine, 180 days jail
- Appeal body
- Zoning Board of Adjustment
Summary
Bessemer regulates every FEMA special flood hazard area within city limits under Code of Ordinances §§ 58-31 and 58-33. Before any development, including grading, filling, or new construction, in a mapped floodplain, the property owner must obtain a floodplain development permit from the city's floodplain administrator.
This article shall apply to all FEMA SFHAs and any additional areas designated by the City of Bessemer as floodplains or areas subject to flooding within the jurisdiction of the City of Bessemer, Alabama. ... A development permit shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this article prior to the commencement of any development, as defined in this article, in identified SFHAs and any additional identified community flood hazard areas within the community.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Republication).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 58, Article II (Flood Damage Prevention) was rewritten by Ordinance No. 3669 on February 6, 2024, replacing the city's 2013 flood ordinance. Section 58-31 sets the geographic reach: it applies to every FEMA-designated special flood hazard area (SFHA) and any additional area the city designates as flood-prone. Section 58-32 pegs the flood maps to Jefferson County's flood insurance study dated September 24, 2021, along with its accompanying flood insurance rate maps, and provides that the more stringent base flood elevation controls when data conflict.
Section 58-33 requires a floodplain development permit before any development, defined broadly to include filling, grading, paving, dredging, mining, and the placement of manufactured homes, begins in an SFHA or designated community flood hazard area. The building inspection officer serves as floodplain administrator under section 58-51 and reviews permit applications for elevation data, floodway boundaries, and flood-proofing certification from a licensed Alabama engineer or architect. Violations are misdemeanors under section 58-38, enforceable through stop-work orders, notices of violation, and civil penalties, and the city can pursue a Section 1316 declaration that strips a noncompliant structure of NFIP flood insurance eligibility.
Appeals of floodplain administrator decisions go to the city's Zoning Board of Adjustment, with further review available in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Bessemer Division.
Violations & Fines
Failing to get a floodplain development permit, or violating one, is a misdemeanor under section 58-38, and the city can also issue a stop-work order, a notice of violation with a mandatory cure period, and civil penalties up to $500.00 plus 180 days in jail, with each day of continued noncompliance a separate offense. Persistent violations can trigger a Section 1316 declaration ending NFIP flood insurance eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What areas does Bessemer's floodplain ordinance cover?
Do I need a permit to build in a Bessemer flood zone?
What happens if I build in the floodplain without a permit?
Can I appeal a floodplain permit denial in Bessemer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bessemer
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jefferson County handle flood zones.