Grant County, WI Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Grant County, WI, 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
- Ch. 290, adopted 1-21-2016
- Districts
- Floodway, Flood-Fringe, General Floodplain
- Permit trigger
- Land use permit before any new development (§ 290-36B)
- Removal from floodplain
- Fill two feet above regional flood elevation, plus map amendment
- Forfeiture
- $40 to $50 plus taxable costs
- Maps on file at
- Conservation, Sanitation and Zoning Department
Summary
Chapter 290 regulates every area in unincorporated Grant County, Wisconsin, covered by the regional or base flood on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map or other DNR-approved maps. Section 290-7 splits that land into three districts: Floodway, Flood-Fringe and General Floodplain. A land use permit is required before new development, and violations carry a forfeiture of $40 to $50 plus costs.
This chapter regulates all areas that would be covered by the regional flood or base flood as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or other maps approved by the DNR. Base flood elevations are derived from the flood profiles in the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and are shown as AE, A1-30, and AH Zones on the FIRM. Other regulatory zones are displayed as A and AO Zones. ... The regional floodplain areas are divided into three districts as follows: A. The Floodway District (FW) is the channel of a river or stream and those portions of the floodplain adjoining the channel required to carry the regional floodwaters and are contained within AE Zones as shown on the FIRM. B. The Flood-Fringe District (FF) is that portion between the regional flood limits and the floodway and displayed as AE Zones on the FIRM. C. The General Floodplain District (GFP) is those areas that may be covered by floodwater during the regional flood and does not have a BFE or floodway boundary determined, including A, AH and AO Zones on the FIRM.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 290, the Floodplain Zoning Ordinance for Grant County, Wisconsin, was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on 1-21-2016 under §§ 59.69, 59.692 and 59.694 and § 87.30, Wis. Stats. Its stated purposes include protecting life, health and property, minimizing rescue and relief spending, and discouraging development in a floodplain if there is any practicable alternative to locate the activity outside it.
Mapped areas. Section 290-5 regulates all areas that would be covered by the regional flood or base flood on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or other maps approved by the DNR. AE, A1-30 and AH zones carry base flood elevations from the Flood Insurance Study, and A and AO zones are the other regulatory zones. Where more than one map or revision applies, the most restrictive information governs. Section 290-6 lists the FIRM panels dated February 3, 2016 and September 2, 2011, plus a Nihles Dam failure map approved by the DNR on April 1, 2003. The maps are on file in the office of the Grant County Conservation, Sanitation and Zoning Department.
Three districts. Section 290-7 divides the regional floodplain into the Floodway District (FW), the Flood-Fringe District (FF) and the General Floodplain District (GFP). Floodway uses are limited to open space such as farming, nonstructural parking and loading areas, and nonstructural recreation (§ 290-22), and § 290-24 prohibits habitable structures there. Flood-fringe land allows any structure or use if the § 290-27 standards are met and the permits under § 290-36 are issued. In the General Floodplain District, § 290-29 requires a determination under § 290-31 of whether the proposed use sits in the floodway or flood-fringe.
Permits and limits. A land use permit is required before any new development; repair, modification or addition to an existing structure; or change in the use of a building (§ 290-36B). The Zoning Administrator denies permits for development that would obstruct flow or raise the regional flood height (§ 290-17). Land comes out of the floodplain only if it is filled at least two feet above the regional or base flood elevation, the fill is contiguous to land outside the floodplain, and the map is amended (§ 290-9).
Violations & Fines
Under § 290-45, violations are unlawful and are referred to the County Attorney for prosecution. A convicted violator forfeits not less than $40 and not more than $50, together with the taxable cost of the action, and each day of continued violation is a separate offense. Every violation is also a public nuisance that can be enjoined or abated by suit of the municipality, the state or any citizen under § 87.30, Wis. Stats.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out whether land in unincorporated Grant County is in a regulated flood zone?
Can I build a house in the floodway?
What is the difference between the Floodway and Flood-Fringe districts?
Do I need a permit to repair or add onto a building in the floodplain?
Can I fill my lot to get it out of the floodplain?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grant County
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