Conroe, TX Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Section 78-38 establishes that a floodplain development permit is required to ensure conformance with Conroe's flood damage prevention chapter, which applies to all areas of special flood hazard within city jurisdiction as mapped on the FEMA Flood Insurance Study and rate maps for Montgomery County. Section 78-39 backs this up by barring any structure or land from being located, altered, or having its use changed without full compliance with the chapter. To get the permit, section 78-63 requires an application to the floodplain administrator, appointed under section 78-61 as the director of infrastructure services, with duplicate scaled plans showing the elevation of the lowest floor of new and substantially improved structures, the floodproofing elevation for nonresidential buildings, and any planned alteration of a watercourse.

The administrator weighs the application against factors including danger to life and property from flooding or erosion, the safety of emergency vehicle access during a flood, and the availability of non-flood-prone alternative sites, before approving or denying it. A denial can be appealed to the appeal board, which also hears variance requests, including for lots of a half-acre or less surrounded by existing structures built below base flood level and for the rehabilitation of historic structures. 00 per violation plus costs, without preventing the city council from pursuing other lawful remedies.