Mountain View, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Mountain View, CA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- Floodplain administrator (Public Works Dept.)
- Flood maps used
- Santa Clara County FIS/FIRMs, adopted by reference
- Permit validity
- Void if work not started within 180 days
- Violation classification
- Misdemeanor (Sec. 48.18.05)
- Records location
- Public Works Dept., 500 Castro Street
Summary
Mountain View requires a floodplain development permit from the floodplain administrator before any construction, grading, filling or similar development in a flood hazard area established under the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps. No permit issues until every applicable code and regulation is satisfied.
SEC. 48.10.05. - Permits required. Any person, owner or authorized agent who intends to conduct any development in a flood hazard area shall first make application to the floodplain administrator and shall obtain the required permit for floodplain development. No permit shall be issued until compliance with the requirements of this Chapter and all other applicable codes and regulations have been satisfied. No building permit shall be issued based on Conditional Letters of Map Revision issued by FEMA. Depending on the nature and extent of proposed development that includes a building or structure, the floodplain administrator may determine a permit for floodplain development is required in addition to a building permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 48 (Floodplain Management), rewritten by Ordinance No. 10, which adopts by reference the Flood Insurance Study for Santa Clara County and its accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps. ' It also forecloses a common workaround, stating that no building permit shall issue based on a FEMA Conditional Letter of Map Revision. 10 requires the application to describe the development, locate the site by legal description or address, disclose the intended use, and include a site plan and construction documents covering grading, excavation and filling, plus the estimated valuation of the work.
20 layers on outside approvals where applicable, including California Coastal Commission review and Clean Water Act Section 404 sign-off from the State Water Resources Control Board and Army Corps of Engineers. 30). 05.
Violations & Fines
Constructing, locating, extending, converting or altering a structure or land in a flood hazard area without the required floodplain development permit, or in conflict with an issued permit, is deemed a violation of Chapter 48 and constitutes a misdemeanor under Section 48.18.05. The floodplain administrator may also suspend or revoke a permit issued on inaccurate or incomplete information under Section 48.10.30.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate permit to build in a Mountain View flood hazard area?
How long is a Mountain View floodplain development permit valid?
What happens if someone builds in a flood hazard area without the required permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
California rules heatmap·Compare Mountain View to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle flood zones.