Carver County, MN Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Carver County, MN, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Overlay districts
- Floodway, Flood Fringe, General Floodplain
- Flood Fringe fill setback
- 15 ft beyond structure, min elevation
- Fill cap without conditional use
- 1,000 cubic yards per parcel
- Accessory structure size cap
- 576 sq ft, parking/storage only
- Violation classification
- Misdemeanor, per § 152.155
Summary
Carver County overlays Floodway, Flood Fringe, and General Floodplain Districts on mapped land under § 152.144-152.149. In the Flood Fringe District, structures must be elevated on fill to the regulatory flood protection elevation, and fill placement on any parcel is capped at 1,000 cubic yards absent a conditional use permit.
(B) Standards for flood fringe permitted uses. (1) All structures, including accessory structures, must be elevated on fill so that the lowest floor, as defined, is at or above the regulatory flood protection elevation. The finished fill elevation for structures shall be no lower than one foot below the regulatory flood protection elevation and the fill shall extend at that elevation at least 15 feet beyond the outside limits of the structure erected thereon. (3) The cumulative placement of fill or similar material on a parcel must not exceed 1,000 cubic yards, unless the fill is specifically intended to elevate a structure in accordance with division (B) of this section, or if allowed as a conditional use under division (C).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-20: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 111-2025, passed 7-25-25).
Full Breakdown
145(B); these are overlay districts superimposed on the underlying zoning, and where a conflict exists the more restrictive standard controls. 148(B)(1) requires all structures, including accessory structures, to be elevated on fill so the lowest floor sits at or above the regulatory flood protection elevation, with fill extending at least 15 feet beyond the structure's outside limits and elevations certified by a registered professional engineer, land surveyor, or other qualified person. 148(B)(2) allows accessory structures designed to accommodate floodwater inundation, capped at 576 square feet and limited to parking and storage, with a minimum of two flood-venting openings per side sized at one square inch per square foot of enclosed area.
148(C), which also allows floodproofed nonresidential basements (residential basements below the regulatory flood protection elevation are barred outright) and alternative elevation methods like stilts or filled stem walls. 148(B)(6). 152.
Violations & Fines
Violating any floodplain-district requirement, including conditions attached to a variance or conditional use, is a misdemeanor under § 152.155(A), punishable as defined by law, with each day the violation continues charged as an additional offense under § 152.155(B). Enforcement runs through § 152.999, letting the Zoning Administrator and County Board pursue prosecution, fines, injunctions, corrective-measure orders, after-the-fact permits, or a request to deny National Flood Insurance Program coverage to the violator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Carver County's floodplain districts?
How high must a structure be built in the Flood Fringe District?
Is there a limit on fill placed in the floodplain?
What penalty applies for a floodplain violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carver County
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