Mebane, NC Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

The Flood Hazard Overlay District (FHO), established under Article 3, covers land within Mebane's zoning jurisdiction subject to a one percent or greater annual chance of flooding, as mapped on FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps kept on file with the Planning and Zoning Department. Before any development activity begins in a Special Flood Hazard Area, UDO Section 5-6.4(B) requires a zoning or special use permit, administered by the Zoning Administrator acting as Floodplain Administrator under Section 5-6.4(A). Applicants must submit a scaled plot plan showing existing and proposed structures, the boundary of the Special Flood Hazard Area and any floodway, the base flood elevation, and, where floodproofing is used, a FEMA Floodproofing Certificate with supporting data under Section 5-6.4(C).

Section 5-6.7(A) then sets the substantive standards: new construction and substantial improvements must be anchored against flotation, collapse, and lateral movement, built of flood-resistant materials, and sited using methods that minimize flood damage; new solid waste, hazardous waste, salvage, and chemical storage facilities are barred from the Special Flood Hazard Area outright unless the Board of Adjustment grants a variance under Section 5-6.6. Small accessory structures under 150 square feet or valued under $3,000 are exempted from the elevation and floodproofing certification requirements under Section 5-6.5.

Variance requests go to the Board of Adjustment under the procedures in Section 8-2(B), with judicial review available under Section 11-7. The current FHO text traces back to Mebane's original Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance of March 7, 1994, and carries amendments through June 3, 2024 and December 8, 2025. Violations of any Section 5-6 requirement are enforced through Article 11's general procedures rather than a standalone flood penalty.