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Fresno County, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

FEMA flood zone rules in Fresno County, CA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.

Key Facts

Governing chapter
Fresno County Code Chapter 15.48
Permit trigger
Any construction/development in special flood hazard area
Floodplain Administrator
Director, Public Works and Planning
Violation penalty
Misdemeanor, § 15.48.060(C)
Mapping basis
FIS for Fresno County, dated Sept. 16, 1982

Summary

Fresno County requires a development permit before any construction, fill, grading or manufactured home placement within a mapped area of special flood hazard. Chapter 15.48 implements the county's Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps, and violating the permit requirement is a misdemeanor under the county's floodplain management ordinance.

City-specific rules exist: Sanger, Clovis, and Fresno have their own flood zones rules that differ from Fresno County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development, including manufactured homes, within any area of special flood hazard established in Section 15.48.060.B. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the County of Fresno. ... No structure or land shall hereafter be constructed, located, extended, converted, or altered without full compliance with the terms of this Chapter and other applicable regulations. Violation of the requirements (including violations of conditions and safeguards) shall constitute a misdemeanor.

Source: Fresno County Floodplain Management FCOC 15.48View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).

Full Breakdown

48, Flood Hazard Areas, was adopted under the authority of Government Code Sections 65302, 65560 and 65800 and implements the National Flood Insurance Program locally. 060 applies the chapter to every area of special flood hazard identified in the Flood Insurance Study for the County of Fresno, dated September 16, 1982, together with its Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps and all later amendments, which are on file at the Department of Public Works and Planning at 2220 Tulare Street, Suite B, Fresno.

070 designates the Director of Public Works and Planning as the Floodplain Administrator, responsible for granting or denying development permits. 070(C) requires a development permit before any construction or other development, including manufactured homes, within a mapped flood hazard area, and the applicant has to submit duplicate scaled plans showing the location, dimensions and elevation of existing or proposed structures, proposed water supply and sewer connections, grading and drainage information, the location of any regulatory floodway, and the base flood elevation used for design. Nonresidential floodproofing plans additionally require certification from a registered civil engineer or architect. 060(D) applies whichever restriction is more stringent if the chapter conflicts with another ordinance, easement or deed restriction. 04.

Violations & Fines

Building, filling, grading or placing a manufactured home in a mapped flood hazard area without a development permit is a misdemeanor under Fresno County Code Section 15.48.060(C). The Floodplain Administrator can deny or condition the permit, and the county can pursue other lawful remedial action against unpermitted development, including projects that increase the water surface elevation of the base flood at any point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to build in a Fresno County flood zone?
Yes. Fresno County Code Section 15.48.070(C) requires a development permit before any construction or development, including manufactured homes, within a mapped area of special flood hazard. The application has to include scaled plans showing structure elevations, drainage, utility connections and the base flood elevation used for design.
What happens if someone builds in the floodplain without a permit?
It is a misdemeanor under Fresno County Code Section 15.48.060(C). The chapter also lets the Board of Supervisors take other lawful action to prevent or remedy the violation, and new development cannot raise the water surface elevation of the base flood by more than one foot at any point without the Floodplain Administrator's review.
Who decides if my land is in the mapped flood hazard area?
The Floodplain Administrator, who is the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning, makes that call using the county's Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps on file at 2220 Tulare Street, Fresno. A property owner who disputes the mapped boundary can appeal the interpretation to the county's Appeals Board.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Fresno County

All Fresno County rules

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