Burlington, WI Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Chapter 119 of the Burlington City Code, adopted March 6, 2012 by Ordinance No. 1942(19), regulates all land covered by the regional or base flood as mapped on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) for both the Racine County and Walworth County portions of the city, since Burlington straddles both counties. The chapter creates three districts: the Floodway District (FW), covering the river channel and adjoining land needed to carry floodwaters; the Floodfringe Overlay District (FFO), the area between the floodway and the regional flood limit; and the General Floodplain District (GFP), areas that may flood but lack a determined floodway boundary.

Maps are on file with the Director of Public Works. Only open-space and other listed uses are permitted in the Floodway District, and any development in the FW, GFP or FFO Districts requires a zoning permit under § 119-27, with all uses not listed as permitted uses expressly prohibited. The Zoning Administrator resolves discrepancies between mapped boundaries and actual field conditions using flood profile elevations, and any significant map discrepancy must be amended through the Article VIII amendment process, with FEMA approval required where base flood elevations come from a FIRM.

Land cannot be removed from the floodplain by fill unless the fill reaches at least two feet above the regional or base flood elevation, is contiguous to non-floodplain land, and the map is formally amended. The City Plan Commission and Zoning Administrator jointly administer these provisions, and appeals of permit denials go to the Board of Adjustment/Appeals under § 119-30.