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Lee County, AL Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

FEMA flood zone rules in Lee County, AL, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.

Key Facts

Governing rule: Lee County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, Jan. 2025
Permit required: Floodplain Development Permit before any SFHA work
Elevation standard: Lowest floor 1 ft. above base flood elevation
Floodway rule: No encroachment without engineer's No-Rise Certificate
Enforcement: Floodplain Administrator; stop-work orders
Penalty: Misdemeanor for any violation
Coverage: Unincorporated Lee County only

FEMA Flood Zone Lookup

FEMA assigns every parcel in the U.S. a flood-hazard designation on its Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Zones starting with A or V are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas where federally backed mortgages require NFIP flood insurance. Zone X indicates moderate-to-minimal risk, where insurance is optional but often recommended. Your specific zone determines insurance cost, build elevation, and permit requirements in Lee County, AL.

Zone	What it means	NFIP required?
A	High-risk flood area; 1% annual chance flood, no detailed analysis.	Yes
AE	High-risk; same as A but with established Base Flood Elevations.	Yes
AH	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft), usually ponding.	Yes
AO	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft) with sheet flow on sloping terrain.	Yes
V	High-risk coastal zone subject to wave action (no BFE).	Yes
VE	High-risk coastal zone with wave action and established BFEs.	Yes
X (shaded)	Moderate risk; between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance flood.	Recommended
X	Minimal risk; outside the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.	No

Look up Lee County, AL on the FEMA flood map

FEMA maps update periodically; verify zone before buying flood insurance or building.

Summary

Building or filling in a Lee County flood hazard area requires a Floodplain Development Permit before work starts. New and substantially improved structures in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas must have their lowest floor at least one foot above the base flood elevation, and floodways stay off-limits to fill and construction absent an engineer's No-Rise Certificate.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Lee County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

SECTION A. LANDS TO WHICH THIS ORDINANCE APPLIES This ordinance shall apply to all FEMA SFHAs and any additional areas designated by Lee County as floodplains or areas subject to flooding within the jurisdiction of Lee County, Alabama. ... SECTION C. ESTABLISHMENT OF A FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT PERMIT A Floodplain Development Permit shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this ordinance PRIOR to the commencement of any development, as defined in this ordinance, in identified SFHAs and any additional identified Community Flood Hazard Areas within the community. ... (1) Residential and Non-Residential Structures - Where BFE data is available, new construction and substantial improvement of any structure or manufactured home shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than one (1) foot above the base flood elevation (also referred to as the design flood elevation).

View official code

Full Breakdown

Lee County's Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, most recently updated January 13, 2025 by Chief Building Official Eric Parten, applies to every FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) in unincorporated Lee County plus any additional area the county designates as flood-prone, per Article 2, Section A. Under Article 2, Section C, a Floodplain Development Permit is mandatory before any development begins in an SFHA, covering new construction, substantial improvements, filling, grading, paving and dredging. The SFHAs are those mapped in Lee County's Flood Insurance Study dated November 2, 2011, and the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps, adopted by reference under Article 2, Section B.

Once a permit is issued, Article 4's flood hazard reduction standards control construction: under Section B(1), new construction and substantial improvement of any structure or manufactured home must have the lowest floor, including any basement, elevated no lower than one foot above the base flood elevation (BFE). Non-residential structures may instead be dry floodproofed to one foot above the BFE if a licensed Alabama engineer or architect certifies the design under ASCE-24. Structures storing hazardous substances must clear the BFE by two feet. Regulatory floodways, mapped under Article 2, Section B, are off-limits to fill, new construction or other encroachment under Article 4, Section C(2) unless a registered engineer's hydrologic and hydraulic analysis and a No-Rise Certificate, filed with the Floodplain Administrator alongside the permit application, show no increase in base flood elevations.

Manufactured homes must sit on a permanent foundation one foot or more above the BFE, or on reinforced piers meeting FEMA P-85 standards. This ordinance governs only unincorporated Lee County; Auburn and Opelika enforce their own separate flood ordinances.

Violations & Fines

Violating the ordinance, including building without the required Floodplain Development Permit or ignoring permit conditions, is a misdemeanor under Article 2, Section H, which the county enforces under the authority granted by Code of Alabama Title 11, Chapters 19 and 45. The Floodplain Administrator can issue a written stop-work order that halts all work on the building or site until the violation is corrected, and must send a certified Notice of Violation by return-receipt mail to the property owner, agent, or person doing the work before further enforcement proceeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to build in a Lee County flood zone?

Yes. Article 2, Section C of the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance requires a Floodplain Development Permit before any construction, filling, grading, paving or dredging begins in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area in unincorporated Lee County.

How high above flood level must a new house sit?

Article 4, Section B(1) requires the lowest floor, including any basement, to sit at least one foot above the base flood elevation shown on the county's Flood Insurance Rate Maps, whether the structure is elevated on fill, piers or a foundation.

Can I build in a designated floodway?

Only if a registered professional engineer's hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, filed as a No-Rise Certificate with the Floodplain Development Permit application, proves the project will not raise base flood elevations, per Article 4, Section C(2).

What happens if I build without a floodplain permit?

The Floodplain Administrator can issue a stop-work order halting all activity and a certified Notice of Violation to the owner or contractor, and Article 2, Section H makes the violation a misdemeanor under the county's enforcement authority in Code of Alabama Title 11.

Sources & Official References

[1]Lee County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (Jan. 13, 2025)

Other rules in Lee County

Animal Ordinances: Chickens & LivestockFew Restrictions Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport RulesSome Restrictions Flood Elevation RequirementsSome Restrictions Stormwater ManagementSome Restrictions Erosion ControlSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: BeekeepingFew Restrictions Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential PropertySignificant Restrictions Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage LimitsLight Restrictions

All Lee County rules

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