Calaveras County, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Calaveras County, 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 trigger
- Any construction or development in a special flood hazard area
- Administered by
- Planning director, as floodplain administrator
- Source maps
- 1990 FIS/FIRM, updated by 2016 Atkins Study
- Appeals go to
- Board of Supervisors, § 15.06.044
- Maps on file at
- 891 Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas
Summary
Anyone building or developing within a FEMA-mapped area of special flood hazard in unincorporated Calaveras County must first obtain a development permit under County Code § 15.06.043. The planning director acts as floodplain administrator, reviewing plans against the 1990 Flood Insurance Study maps as updated by a 2016 supplemental study.
A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development, including manufactured homes, within any area of special flood hazard established in Section 15.06.032. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the County of Calaveras. The applicant shall provide the following minimum information:
A.Plans in duplicate, drawn to scale, showing:1.Location, dimensions, and elevation of the area in question, existing or proposed structures, storage of materials and equipment and their location;2.Proposed locations of water supply, sanitary sewer, and other utilities;3.Grading information showing existing and proposed contours, any proposed fill, and drainage facilities;4.Location of the regulatory floodway when applicable;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
031. 032 defines that area by reference to the "Flood Insurance Study (FIS) for Calaveras County Unincorporated Areas," dated September 5, 1990, its accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps, as supplemented by Base Flood Elevations from a 2016 Atkins Study reviewed by FEMA; the maps and study are kept on file at the Calaveras County Planning Department, 891 Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas. 041, the planning director administers the chapter as floodplain administrator, granting or denying development permits and reviewing whether proposed work will raise the base flood water surface elevation more than one foot anywhere in the county.
043 must include duplicate scaled plans showing the location, dimensions and elevation of the site, proposed utility locations, existing and proposed grading and drainage contours, and the location of the regulatory floodway where one applies. 044.
Violations & Fines
Section 15.06.033 states that constructing, locating, extending, converting or altering a structure or land without complying with this chapter is a misdemeanor. Section 15.06.045 sets a separate graduated schedule: an infraction with a fine up to one hundred dollars for a first violation, up to two hundred dollars for a second within a year, and up to five hundred dollars for a third; a fourth or later violation within that year becomes a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to five hundred dollars, up to six months in county jail, or both, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in a Calaveras County flood zone?
Who decides whether my property is in the mapped flood hazard area?
What has to be included in a flood zone development permit application?
What is the penalty for building in a flood zone without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Calaveras County
California rules heatmap·Compare Calaveras County to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.