Davis, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Davis, CA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Permit
- Development permit required before any construction
- Administrator
- City engineer is the floodplain administrator
- Basis
- Dec. 2002 FEMA Flood Insurance Study
- Flood limit
- No more than 1-foot rise in base flood elevation
- Penalty
- Noncompliance is a misdemeanor
Summary
Any construction, filling, grading, or excavation inside a Davis area of special flood hazard needs a development permit from the city engineer, the designated floodplain administrator, before work begins. The rule traces the boundary to the city's 2002 FEMA Flood Insurance Study and caps any rise in base flood elevation at one foot.
No structure or land shall hereafter be constructed, located, extended, converted or altered without full compliance with the terms of this article and other applicable regulations. Violations of the provisions of this article by failure to comply with any of its requirements, including violations of conditions and safeguards established in connection with conditions, shall constitute a misdemeanor. ... A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazards established in Section 8.05.020. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the floodplain administrator ... The city engineer is hereby appointed to administer and implement this article by granting or denying development permits in accordance with its provisions.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4915048; v22 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
08 of the Municipal Code, adopted under the state's police-power grant in Government Code Sections 65302, 65560 and 65800. 020 adopts the December 2002 Flood Insurance Study and its accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map for the city by reference, on file at the office of the city engineer at 1717 Fifth Street. 070 to include buildings, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation and drilling. 020, reviews it to confirm the site is reasonably safe from flooding and that the project will not raise the base flood's water surface elevation by more than one foot.
040 requires the more restrictive of this article or any conflicting regulation, easement, or deed restriction to control. 050, the city or FEMA may still impose stricter conditions on a given parcel.
Violations & Fines
Building, filling, grading, or altering land in a mapped special flood hazard area without the Section 8.06.010 development permit, or breaching a condition attached to one, is a misdemeanor under Section 8.05.030. A structure lacking the elevation certificate or other compliance documentation the article requires is presumed in violation under Section 8.04.320 until the paperwork is produced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Davis flood zone?
Who reviews Davis floodplain permits?
What happens if I build in a flood zone without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis
California rules heatmap·Compare Davis to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Yolo County handle flood zones.