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Anoka County, MN Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Few Restrictions

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

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

Key Facts

Repealed: Ordinance Nos. 80-3, 90-2 (Floodplain Mgmt.)
Repealing ordinance: Anoka County Ordinance #2018-6
Adopted: October 9, 2018
Authority cited: Minn. Stat. §375.51
Who regulates now: The property's city or township
Related county rule: SSTS Ord. §2.16 bars septic in floodway

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 Anoka County, MN.

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 Anoka County, MN on the FEMA flood map

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

Summary

Anoka County has no floodplain ordinance of its own. The County Board repealed its 1980s/1990s Floodplain Management ordinances in 2018 (Ordinance #2018-6) because every city and township in the county had already adopted floodplain ordinances covering the same ground, including the unincorporated area.

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

ORDINANCE #2018-6, REPEALING ORDINANCE NOS. 80-3, 90-2, 80-2, 85-1, 92-1, 80-5 AND 91-2 OF THE COUNTY OF ANOKA RELATING TO FLOOD PLAIN, SHORELAND AND SCENIC RIVER MANAGEMENT
Purpose: It is the purpose of this Ordinance to repeal Ordinance Nos. 80-3, 90-2 relating to Floodplain Management, 80-2, 85-1, 92-1 relating to Shoreland Management, 80-5 relating to Scenic Rivers Management and 91-2 relating to all three of the above ordinances due to the enactment of local city and township ordinances that cover all of the floodplains, shoreland and scenic river areas within Anoka County.
Authority: This Ordinance is adopted pursuant to Minnesota Statutes §375.51.
Repeal: The Anoka County Board of Commissioners does ordain that Ordinance Nos. 80-3, 90-2, 80-2, 85-1, 92-1, 80-5 and 91-2, relating to Floodplain, Shoreland and Scenic River Management are hereby repealed.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Ordinance #2018-6, adopted by the Anoka County Board of Commissioners on October 9, 2018 under the authority of Minn. 51, repeals Ordinance Nos. 80-3 and 90-2 (the county's Floodplain Management ordinances), along with 80-2, 85-1 and 92-1 (Shoreland Management), 80-5 (Scenic Rivers Management), and 91-2 (a combined ordinance covering all three subjects). The stated purpose is that "local city and township ordinances" had by 2018 come to "cover all of the floodplains, shoreland and scenic river areas within Anoka County," making a duplicate county-level floodplain rule unnecessary.

The repeal took effect immediately upon passage. This is a deliberate, permanent hand-off, not an oversight: unlike shoreland regulation, which the county re-adopted county-wide in 2022 (Shoreland Management Ordinance #2022-1) for any public waters lacking local coverage, there is no equivalent 2022-style floodplain ordinance on the books. 16 of the county's Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) Ordinance bars siting a septic system in a floodway or floodplain, while allowing one in the flood fringe if the design otherwise complies. That rule governs septic systems only, not building permits, fill, or elevation requirements for structures in a mapped flood zone.

Violations & Fines

Because the county issues no floodplain development permit, there is no county citation, fine, or variance process for building in a flood zone in unincorporated Anoka County. Enforcement authority, permit requirements, and any penalties for floodplain construction rest entirely with the city or township that has adopted its own floodplain ordinance for that parcel. The only county-level exposure is under the SSTS Ordinance: siting a septic system in a floodway or floodplain is a misdemeanor violation of that ordinance, prosecutable by the County Attorney or subject to injunctive relief sought by the Environmental Services Department.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Anoka County have its own floodplain ordinance?

No. The county repealed Ordinance Nos. 80-3 and 90-2, its floodplain management ordinances, on October 9, 2018 through Ordinance #2018-6, stating that every city and township in Anoka County had by then adopted its own floodplain ordinance covering the same territory, so a county-level rule was redundant.

Who regulates floodplain development in unincorporated Anoka County?

The township covering that parcel. The repealer ordinance says the repeal was made "due to the enactment of local city and township ordinances that cover all of the floodplains ... within Anoka County," so a landowner must check with their township or city zoning office, not the county, before building in a mapped flood zone.

Did the county repeal its shoreland rules along with the floodplain rules?

Yes, the same 2018 ordinance also repealed the county's separate Shoreland Management ordinances (80-2, 85-1, 92-1) and its Scenic Rivers Management ordinance (80-5) for the identical reason. The county later re-adopted county-wide Shoreland Management coverage in 2022 (Ordinance #2022-1), but no equivalent floodplain ordinance has been re-adopted since 2018.

Does anything in the county code still mention floodplains?

Yes, but narrowly. Section 2.16 of the county's Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Ordinance prohibits locating a septic system in a floodway or floodplain, while permitting one in the flood fringe if the design otherwise complies. That provision regulates septic systems only and is not a general floodplain development ordinance.

Sources & Official References

[1]Anoka County Ordinances (County-Ordinances page hosting Ordinance #2018-6)

Other rules in Anoka County

Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash LawsSome Restrictions Erosion ControlSome Restrictions Stormwater ManagementSome Restrictions Flood Elevation RequirementsSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Wildlife FeedingSignificant Restrictions Fire Regulations: FireworksHeavy Restrictions Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage TreesSome Restrictions

All Anoka County rules

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