Columbia County, FL Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Section 8.1.2 defines the ordinance's scope broadly: it covers subdivision of land, filling, grading and other site improvements and utility installations, construction, alteration, remodeling, enlargement, replacement, repair, relocation or demolition of buildings and structures exempt from the Florida Building Code, placement or replacement of manufactured homes and tanks, placement of recreational vehicles, installation of swimming pools, and any other development wholly or partly within a flood hazard area. Section 8.2.2 applies the ordinance to all flood hazard areas within the county as established under Section 8.2.3, which formally adopts by reference the Flood Insurance Study for Columbia County, Florida and Incorporated Areas dated November 2, 2018, and the accompanying FEMA flood insurance rate maps, including all later amendments, as the minimum basis for delineating flood hazard areas.

Section 8.2.6 makes this ordinance supersede any earlier flood-management ordinance, but not repeal existing land development regulations, zoning, stormwater rules, or the Florida Building Code; where this ordinance conflicts with another, the more restrictive standard governs. The floodplain administrator, a role assigned to the land development regulation administrator under Section 8.3.1, reviews applications, interprets flood hazard boundaries, and issues floodplain development permits for activity not otherwise covered by the Florida Building Code. Records establishing flood hazard areas are kept on file at the Columbia County Building and Zoning Department for public inspection.