FEMA flood zone rules in Nevada County, CA — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Nevada County is a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program. Construction, fill, or placement of structures within a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area requires a use permit, and zoning establishes a 100-foot non-disturbance buffer measured from the boundary of the floodplain. FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps for most of the County were updated February 3, 2010.
The County's floodplain regulations implement 44 CFR 60.3 NFIP minimum standards. Within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) - Zones A, AE, AO, AH - new structures must have the lowest floor elevated to or above the base flood elevation plus any locally required freeboard, and substantial improvements (>50% of structure value) trigger full SFHA compliance. Constructing fill, levees, or new structures within an SFHA requires a use permit from the Community Development Agency, and zoning establishes a 100-foot non-disturbance buffer from the boundary of the floodplain to protect riparian function. The Sierra foothill streams - Deer Creek, Wolf Creek, Bear River, South Yuba River, Truckee River - drive most of the County's SFHA mapping. Truckee-area properties also fall under the Town of Truckee Floodplain Management Ordinance. FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps for most of the County were updated effective February 3, 2010; map revisions and LOMA/LOMR processes are administered locally through Planning.
Building within an SFHA without an elevation certificate or required permit can trigger a Stop Work Order, NFIP enforcement, and removal of the County from the NFIP if violations are not corrected. Lenders generally require flood insurance for federally backed loans on SFHA properties.
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See how Nevada County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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