Douglas County, NE Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Douglas County, NE, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before any floodplain development
- Enforcing officer
- County Stormwater and Floodplain Specialist
- Max fine
- $500 per Class III misdemeanor
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only, not Omaha
- Application method
- Online permit portal
Summary
Unincorporated Douglas County requires a floodplain development permit before any construction, fill, or substantial improvement in mapped flood hazard areas, enforced by the county's Stormwater and Floodplain Specialist.
No person, firm, or corporation shall initiate any floodplain development or substantial improvement or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate permit for development as defined in Section 8.05.12.
B. Administration.
1. The Enforcement Officer is hereby appointed to administer and implement the provisions of this regulation.
2. Duties of the Enforcement Officer shall include, but not be limited to: Page 55 of 88
a. Review and approve or deny all applications for floodplain development permits.
b. Reviewing all development permit applications to ensure that sites are reasonably safe from flooding and that the requirements of this regulation have been satisfied.
c. Reviewing applications for proposed development to ensure that all necessary permits have been obtained from those Federal, State, or Local governmental agencies from which prior approval is required.
d. Review all subdivision proposals and other proposed new developments, including manufactured home parks or subdivisions, to determine whether such proposals will be reasonably safe from flooding.
e. Notify adjacent communities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse and submit evidence of such notification to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Full Breakdown
In FIRM-mapped Zones A, A1-30, AE, AO, or AH, and the FW/FF overlay districts, no development of any kind may proceed without a floodplain development permit issued by Douglas County. The Stormwater and Floodplain Specialist administers the program, reviewing plans for lowest-floor elevation, flood-proofing, and utility protection before approval. This rule applies only to unincorporated Douglas County. Omaha, Bennington, Valley, Waterloo, and Ralston enforce their own municipal floodplain codes, not this regulation.
Violations & Fines
Violating the permit requirement is a Class III misdemeanor under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 23-174, fined up to $500, with each continuing day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule cover property in Omaha?
What happens if I build in the floodplain without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Douglas County
Compare Douglas County to another location·View the Nebraska environmental rules overview
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