Hendricks County, IN Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Hendricks County, IN, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Districts
- Primary and Secondary Floodplain Districts
- Source maps
- 1980 Flood Insurance Study, county Soil Survey
- By-right uses
- Farming, forestry, parks, no structures/fill
- Review agency
- State Natural Resources Commission
- Local reviewer
- County Zoning Administrator
- Small-drainage path
- Under 1 sq mi goes direct to Zoning Admin/Plan Commission
Summary
Hendricks County's Chapter 151 Flood Hazard ordinance establishes Primary and Secondary Floodplain Districts based on FEMA flood insurance maps and county soil surveys, restricting new development to low-damage uses by right and requiring state Natural Resources review for anything else.
These uses shall be permitted by right within the Primary and Secondary Floodplain Districts to the extent that they are not prohibited by any other ordinance, and provided they do not require structures, fill, or storage of materials or equipment: (1) Agricultural uses such as general farming, pasture grazing, orchards, plant nurseries, and vineyards; (2) Forestry, wildlife areas, and nature preserves; and (3) Parks and recreational uses, such as golf courses, driving ranges, and play areas.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-3: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 2024-50, passed 12-10-2024; and State law current through Indiana Legislative Service, 2025 Acts, Pamphlet No. 3).
Full Breakdown
02 adopts the Primary Floodplain District from the 1980 Flood Insurance Study for Hendricks County and its Flood Insurance Rate Maps, and the Secondary Floodplain District from the county's Soil Survey bottom-land soil designations, incorporating both by reference along with later revisions. 04 permits only low flood-damage uses by right in either district, agricultural uses like farming, pasture, orchards, and nurseries, forestry and wildlife areas, and parks or recreation such as golf courses, and only if they don't require structures, fill, or stored materials. 05 requires any other development in the Primary Floodplain District to get Natural Resources Commission review and approval before the county issues a local permit.
In the Secondary Floodplain District, development on a drainage area over one square mile likewise needs Natural Resources approval first, while development on one square mile or less goes directly to the Zoning Administration or County Plan Commission, with the applicant bearing the burden of proving the proposed construction is acceptable through engineer-certified plans. 07 requires the Zoning Administrator to confirm NFIP compliance, covering permits, subdivision review, mobile home tie-downs, and record keeping, on every improvement location permit reviewed.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 151 does not carry its own separate penalty section; non-conforming or unapproved floodplain development under § 151.05(D) is treated as a non-conforming use requiring Natural Resources review, and floodplain-area permit applications are also screened under the Building Code's § 150.41(C)-(E) before any building permit can issue, tying floodplain non-compliance to the Building Code's $10-$200 daily fine structure under § 150.99(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I build in a Hendricks County floodplain without special approval?
Who reviews floodplain development that isn't automatically permitted?
What if my Secondary Floodplain site has a small drainage area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hendricks County
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