FEMA flood zone rules in Kern County, CA — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Kern County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and regulates development in Special Flood Hazard Areas through Kern County Code Title 18 Chapter 18.70 and zoning Chapters 19.50 (Floodplain Primary), 19.70 (Floodplain Combining), 19.72 (Floodplain Secondary), and 19.73 (Kern River Corridor). FEMA-issued Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Kern County and Bakersfield, including Lake Isabella and the Kern River, define the regulated areas where elevation, anchoring, and floodproofing standards apply.
Kern County Public Works administers floodplain management under §§18.70.165 (Flood Boundary Floodway Map) and 18.70.168 (Flood Insurance Rate Map), which incorporate FEMA's effective FIRMs as the regulatory basis for the unincorporated county. New construction, substantial improvements, and substantial damage repairs in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) must meet NFIP minimum standards under 44 CFR §60.3, including: residential lowest floor elevated to or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE); non-residential structures elevated or dry-floodproofed to BFE; anchoring against flotation, collapse, and lateral movement; and use of flood-resistant materials below BFE. Floodway development is prohibited unless a hydraulic analysis shows no rise in BFE. Zoning Chapter 19.50 (Floodplain Primary - FPP) and Chapter 19.70/19.72 (FP and FPS Combining Districts) overlay flood-prone areas, and Chapter 19.73 covers the Kern River Corridor specifically. FEMA updated maps along Lake Isabella and the Kern River around Bakersfield to reflect current hazards. Property owners in SFHAs with federally backed mortgages are required by federal law (42 U.S.C. §4012a) to carry NFIP flood insurance. Contact Kern County Public Works Development Services at (661) 326-3720 or (661) 326-3607 for floodplain determinations and elevation certificates.
Violations of Chapter 18.70 - including building or filling in an SFHA without a floodplain development permit or below the required BFE - can lead to stop-work orders, denial of certificate of occupancy, mandatory removal of noncompliant structures, NFIP probation or suspension affecting countywide flood insurance availability, and civil penalties under Title 18.
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See how Kern County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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