Camarillo, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Camarillo, CA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Flood area development permit, Sec. 16.34.300
- Elevation standard
- 1.0 ft above base flood elevation
- Floodway rule
- No encroachment without no-rise engineer certification
- Administering agency
- Director of Engineering Services
- Appeal deadline
- 10 days to city clerk, fee required
- Variance minimum lot
- One-half acre or less
Summary
Camarillo requires a flood area development permit before any construction begins in a FEMA special flood hazard area. New and substantially improved structures must be elevated at least 1 foot above base flood elevation, and the Director of Engineering Services administers and enforces the standard.
New construction and substantial improvement of any structure shall have the bottom of the floor slab, lowest floor beam or basement floor elevated to a minimum of 1.0 foot above the base flood elevation. Nonresidential structures will meet the standards in subsection C3 of this section. Upon completion of the structure the elevation of the lowest floor, including the basement, shall be certified by a registered professional engineer or surveyor or verified by the local building inspector that the elevation requirements have been met.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
300. The application must show the proposed elevation of the lowest habitable floor relative to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929, and in Zone AO must show existing grade and proposed floor elevation. 310, reviews every application to confirm the site is reasonably safe from flooding and that the project will not raise the base flood water surface elevation more than one foot. 0 foot above base flood elevation, certified on completion by a registered professional engineer, surveyor, or the local building inspector. 400(C)(3), certified by a registered engineer or architect.
450 bars encroachments, including fill and new construction, into a designated floodway unless an engineer certifies no increase in flood levels during the base flood discharge; where no floodway is mapped, the code imposes a setback equal to five times the stream's top-of-bank width or twenty feet on each side, whichever is greater. 520, limited to lots of one-half acre or less bordered by existing below-grade structures, and require a written notice that flood insurance premiums can run as high as $25 per $100 of coverage on the resulting structure.
Violations & Fines
Failing to submit the required elevation certification under Section 16.34.320(C)(2) is cause for the city to issue a stop-work order on the project. Under the Section 16.34.130 definition of 'violation,' any structure lacking an elevation certificate or other required compliance documentation is presumed to be in violation until that documentation is produced. Appeals of a director decision go to the Planning Commission, filed with the city clerk within 10 days with a council-set administrative fee; commission decisions may be further appealed to the city council within 10 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Camarillo flood zone?
How high above flood level must a new house be built?
Can I build inside a mapped floodway in Camarillo?
What happens if I skip the elevation certificate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Camarillo
California rules heatmap·Compare Camarillo to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle flood zones.