Forsyth County, GA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Adopted by Ord. No. 55-F on April 18, 2019, Article II of Chapter 46 applies countywide and governs any land subject to a one percent annual chance of flooding, mapped in FEMA's March 4, 2013 flood insurance study or a later revision. Section 46-61 bars any development activity on a site with a special flood hazard area (SFHA) until a permit application goes to the director of planning and community development, and no permit can issue for work that fails the article's requirements, restrictions or criteria.

An application must include a floodplain management/flood damage prevention plan stamped by a Georgia-licensed professional engineer, showing existing and proposed elevations, the base and future-conditions flood elevations, the floodway boundary if one exists, and lowest-floor and floodproofing elevations for every proposed structure. 01 foot or more, reduce flood storage capacity, or change the depth or velocity of floodwaters at the site's boundaries; compensating storage must sit on the same property near the encroachment, and any significant change must go to FEMA as a conditional letter of map revision.

Inside the mapped floodway itself, § 46-75 bars new construction, fill or substantial improvements outright except for bridges, culverts, roadways and utilities engineered to show no rise in flood elevations. Builders who do qualify must anchor structures against flotation, elevate or floodproof them, and use flood-resistant materials under § 46-82. The Forsyth County Zoning Board of Appeals hears variance requests and appeals of the director's decisions under § 46-91.