FEMA flood zone rules in Rock County, WI — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Rock County floodplain zoning is contained in Code of Ordinances Chapter 4 (Subchapter on Floodplain Zoning), implementing Wis. Stat. §87.30 and Wis. Admin. Code NR 116. The county participates in the FEMA NFIP (CID 550363) using county-wide FIRM panels (55105C). The Rock River corridor is the primary flood-prone area, along with the Yahara River, Sugar River, and Turtle Creek.
Wis. Stat. §87.30 mandates that counties adopt reasonable and effective floodplain zoning ordinances or have one imposed by the Department of Natural Resources. Wis. Admin. Code NR 116 establishes three districts: Floodway (no structures intended for human occupancy and most fill prohibited), Floodfringe (development allowed with the lowest floor elevated to or above the Flood Protection Elevation, typically 2 feet of freeboard above the Base Flood Elevation per NR 116.13), and General Floodplain (requires hydraulic/hydrologic studies before development). Rock County administers floodplain zoning in unincorporated areas; the City of Janesville (CID 555560) and City of Beloit (CID 555544) administer their own NFIP-compliant ordinances. Floodplain development permits are required for any structure, fill, grading, or substantial improvement in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas.
Wis. Stat. §87.30(2) treats violating structures as public nuisances and authorizes fines up to $50 per offense, with each day a separate offense; violations may also be enjoined by the municipality, the state, or any citizen. Federal NFIP non-compliance can jeopardize community flood insurance eligibility.
Rock County, WI
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See how Rock County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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