Josephine County, OR Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Josephine County, OR, 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
- RLDC Chapter 19.69A Flood Hazard Overlay
- Administrator
- Planning Director (Floodplain Administrator)
- FIRM effective date
- December 3, 2009
- Floodway permits
- Pre-application site plan review, § 19.42.030
- Floodplain/fringe permits
- Ministerial review under Ch. 19.22
- Maximum fine
- $500 noncontinuing, $1,000 continuing
Summary
In rural Josephine County, outside the Grants Pass and Cave Junction urban growth boundaries, the Rural Land Development Code's Flood Hazard Overlay (Chapter 19.69A) governs every mapped flood hazard area. It adopts the county's Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps effective December 3, 2009, and requires a development permit before any construction, filling, grading or dredging in a mapped floodplain, floodway fringe or floodway.
This chapter shall apply to all areas of flood hazard within Josephine County as identified in the Flood Insurance Study for Josephine County, Oregon, and Incorporated Areas (two volumes), with Flood Insurance Rate Map panels and a map index, effective December 3, 2009, prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for use in the administration of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973. The study, maps and index are adopted by this reference and incorporated into this code.
Full Breakdown
020 applies the overlay to all areas identified on the Flood Insurance Study for Josephine County and Incorporated Areas and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map panels, effective December 3, 2009 and adopted by reference into the code; those documents sit on file at the Planning Office and define the approximate floodplain, floodway fringe and floodway. 030, interpreting flood hazard boundaries, imposing conditions on permits, confirming other required federal and state permits are obtained, and keeping elevation certificates and letters of map amendment or revision on file.
080, a development permit is required before any development, including mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, stockpiling or excavation, occurs within a flood hazard area. 030 before the Director will issue a permit. 040. 010, include protecting life and health, qualifying residents for federal flood insurance, and ensuring buyers are notified that a property sits in a special flood hazard area; the county disclaims liability for damages from reliance on the overlay or any decision made under it.
Violations & Fines
Unauthorized development in a mapped flood hazard area is enforced like any other Rural Land Development Code violation: the Planning Director notifies the property owner in writing, cites the violated section, and allows up to 30 days to abate under § 19.19.020. Continued noncompliance moves to documentation and referral under §§ 19.19.030-.040 to the District Attorney or the Board of County Commissioners, with fines up to $500 for a noncontinuing offense and $1,000 for a continuing one under § 19.19.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Josephine County flood hazard area?
Who administers Josephine County's flood hazard overlay?
What maps define the flood hazard areas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Josephine County
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