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Chico, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

FEMA flood zone rules in Chico, 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: 16.37 Floodplain Standards
Applies to: special flood hazard areas
Extra permit data required: elevation and floodproofing info
Relief available: variance under § 16.37.040
Stop-work violation: misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine

FEMA Flood Zone Lookup

FEMA assigns every parcel in the U.S. a flood-hazard designation on its Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Zones starting with A or V are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas where federally backed mortgages require NFIP flood insurance. Zone X indicates moderate-to-minimal risk, where insurance is optional but often recommended. Your specific zone determines insurance cost, build elevation, and permit requirements in Chico, CA.

Zone	What it means	NFIP required?
A	High-risk flood area; 1% annual chance flood, no detailed analysis.	Yes
AE	High-risk; same as A but with established Base Flood Elevations.	Yes
AH	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft), usually ponding.	Yes
AO	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft) with sheet flow on sloping terrain.	Yes
V	High-risk coastal zone subject to wave action (no BFE).	Yes
VE	High-risk coastal zone with wave action and established BFEs.	Yes
X (shaded)	Moderate risk; between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance flood.	Recommended
X	Minimal risk; outside the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.	No

Look up Chico, CA on the FEMA flood map

FEMA maps update periodically; verify zone before buying flood insurance or building.

Summary

Chico bars any development in a special flood hazard area that doesn't meet the city's adopted floodplain standards, and building permit applications there must include elevation and floodproofing data under a companion section.

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall cause or permit any development on property within a special flood hazard area of the city which fails to comply with or which violates the floodplain standards adopted by or pursuant to this chapter.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Supplement contains local legislation current through: Codified Resolution No. 53-26, adopted 7-14-26 and Ordinance No. 2622, adopted 6-2-26).

Full Breakdown

Chico's floodplain regulations (Chapter 16.34 general provisions through Chapter 16.38 enforcement) bar development within a mapped special flood hazard area unless it meets the standards adopted under § 16.37.020. A building permit application covering that area must separately supply elevation data, the lot's elevation and the lowest floor elevation, plus floodproofing information and identification of any other required state or federal permits, under § 16.10.065. A property owner who can't meet the standards may seek a variance under § 16.37.040, but the building official must make specific hardship-type findings before granting one.

Violations & Fines

Floodplain violations are infractions fined under Charter § 1505; defying a stop-work order is a misdemeanor: up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine (§16.38.060), and violations are a public nuisance the city attorney may abate (§16.38.050).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Chico require a permit for building in a flood zone?

Yes: development in a special flood hazard area must meet Chico's floodplain standards (§ 16.37.010), and permit applications there must include elevation and floodproofing data under § 16.10.065.

Can I get a variance from Chico's floodplain rules?

You may apply for a variance under § 16.37.040, but the building official must make specific findings, such as unusual lot characteristics, before granting relief from the standards.

Sources & Official References

[1]Chico Municipal Code § 16.37.010 (American Legal Publishing)

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