Gainesville, FL Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

25(C). 27(A), any owner or agent who intends to develop wholly or partly inside a flood hazard area, including subdivision of land, filling, grading, utility work, and buildings or facilities exempt from the Florida Building Code, must first apply to the floodplain administrator and obtain the required permits before starting, and no permit issues until compliance with FPO Division 5 and every other applicable city code is confirmed. Floodplain development permits are separate from building permits: the administrator can require both depending on the project.

28, and state the valuation of the work. Site plans must delineate flood hazard areas, floodway boundaries, flood zones, and base flood elevations; where a parcel has more than 50 lots or exceeds five acres and elevation data isn't already on the FIRM, the applicant must have the elevations established by a licensed engineer. A permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within 180 calendar days of issuance or is abandoned for 180 days, though the administrator can grant 180-day extensions for good cause. Development inside the regulatory floodway is barred entirely unless a floodway encroachment analysis, sealed by a Florida-licensed engineer, proves the project won't raise base flood elevations at all.