Glendale, AZ Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Glendale, AZ, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- City Code Ch. 17, Floodplain Management
- Enforcing official
- Floodplain Administrator
- Permit required
- Before any SFHA construction or fill
- Zone AO minimum elevation
- 2 feet above highest adjacent grade
- Substantial improvement threshold
- 50% of structure market value
- Base violation penalty
- Class 2 misdemeanor, or civil penalty
- FIS/FIRM effective date
- September 30, 2005
Summary
Glendale requires a development permit before any construction, fill, or manufactured-home placement in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area. The Floodplain Administrator reviews plans, elevation data, and floodproofing certifications under City Code Chapter 17 before work can begin.
(a)The city shall require permits for all proposed construction and other development (including placement of prefabricated buildings and manufactured homes) on properties in any Special Flood Hazard Area.(b)The city shall require that all necessary permits have been received from those governmental agencies from which approval is required by federal or state law.(c)A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins, including placement of manufactured homes, within any Special Flood Hazard Area established in Section 17-8.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 115).
Full Breakdown
Under Glendale Code of Ordinances Chapter 17, any construction or development within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) delineated on the FEMA Flood Insurance Study for Maricopa County (dated September 30, 2005) and its Flood Insurance Rate Maps requires a development permit from the Floodplain Administrator before work begins, per Sec. 17-28. Applications must show, to scale, the elevation of the lowest floor of any proposed structure relative to mean sea level, the proposed floodproofing elevation, and (for subdivisions over 50 lots or 5 acres) Base Flood Elevation data.
A registered engineer or architect must certify that nonresidential floodproofing meets Sec. 17-43(b) standards. Under Sec. 17-43, new residential construction and substantial improvements must have the lowest floor, including the basement, elevated to or above the Regulatory Flood Elevation, with certification filed with the Floodplain Administrator. In Zone AO, if no elevation is specified on the FIRM, the floor must sit at least two feet above the highest adjacent grade. Enclosed areas below the lowest floor used only for parking, access, or storage need flood openings meeting minimum criteria under Sec.
17-43(e), such as two openings on different walls totaling at least one square inch of net area per square foot of enclosed space, with opening bottoms no higher than one foot above grade. Sec. 17-44 bars storing materials injurious to human, animal, or plant life in the SFHA if flood release would endanger the public, and Sec. 17-45 bars locating waste disposal systems wholly or partially in the regulatory floodway. § 48-3613 is also in violation of the chapter.
Violations & Fines
Under Sec. 17-14, engaging in development in a delineated floodplain without the written authorization required by A.R.S. § 48-3613 is a class 2 misdemeanor, and the city may instead assess a civil penalty capped at the fine chargeable for a class 2 misdemeanor, or a negotiated non-monetary penalty. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense. Under Sec. 17-16, unpermitted development in the SFHA after August 8, 1973 is declared a public nuisance per se and may be abated or restrained by the city; the Floodplain Administrator first issues a written notice of violation ordering the owner or occupant to cease and desist under Sec. 17-15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Glendale floodplain?
How high does my home's lowest floor need to be?
What happens if I develop in the floodplain without a permit?
Can I store materials or equipment in the floodplain?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glendale
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle flood zones.