FEMA flood zone rules in Anne Arundel County, MD — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Anne Arundel County has extensive FEMA flood zone areas along Chesapeake Bay, South River, Severn River, and Patuxent River shorelines. Properties in SFHA zones require flood insurance with federally backed mortgages. The county enforces a floodplain management ordinance for NFIP compliance.
Anne Arundel County participates in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and enforces a local Floodplain Management Ordinance. Properties in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) — FEMA zones AE, AO, VE — must carry flood insurance if they have federally backed mortgages. New construction and substantial improvements in SFHA must be elevated to Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus the county's adopted freeboard. The county's extensive Chesapeake Bay, Magothy River, South River, Patuxent River, and tidal creek shorelines create numerous flood-prone areas. Sea level rise is accelerating flood risk in low-lying waterfront communities including Shady Side, Deale, Galesville, and Cape St. Claire. The county also enforces Chesapeake Bay Critical Area buffer requirements within 1,000 feet of tidal waters.
Construction in SFHA without floodplain permit: $500/day. Below-BFE construction: NFIP non-compliance, potential insurance loss.
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See how Anne Arundel County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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