Owensboro, KY Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Owensboro, KY, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Statutory basis
- KRS Chapter 100 delegation
- Applies to
- All Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA)
- Permit required
- Development/construction permit, pre-work
- Violation classification
- Misdemeanor
- Administrator
- Building inspector, as Floodplain Administrator
- Permit expiration
- 365 days if construction not started
Summary
In the City of Owensboro, any development in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs a development or construction permit before work begins, and building without full compliance is a misdemeanor under Zoning Ordinance Section 18-3, adopted under KRS Chapter 100 authority.
18-1(a)Statutory Authorization. The legislature of the State of Kentucky has in KRS Chapter 100 delegated the responsibility to local government units to adopt regulations designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizenry. Therefore, the Commission of the City of Owensboro and the Fiscal Court of Daviess County, Kentucky hereby adopt the following floodplain management ordinance, as follows: ... 18-3(c)Establishment of Development Permit. A development or construction permit, as appropriate, shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this article prior to commencement of any development activities, in the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA).18-3(d)Compliance. No structure or land shall hereafter be constructed, located, extended, converted, or structurally altered without full compliance with the terms of this article and other applicable state and local regulations, including the Owensboro Metropolitan Public Improvement Specifications. Violation of the requirements (including violations of conditions and safeguards established in connection with conditions) shall constitute a misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
Zoning Ordinance Article XVIII, Section 18-1(a), states that the Kentucky legislature delegated floodplain management authority to local governments in KRS Chapter 100, and that the Owensboro Board of Commissioners and the Daviess County Fiscal Court jointly adopted the floodplain management ordinance under that authority. Section 18-3(a) applies the article to all Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) within the jurisdiction of the City of Owensboro and Daviess County, as identified through the FEMA Flood Insurance Study and accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Maps referenced in Section 18-3(b).
Section 18-3(c) requires a development or construction permit before any development activity begins in an SFHA, and Section 18-3(d) makes clear that no structure or land may be constructed, located, extended, converted, or structurally altered without full compliance with the article and other applicable regulations, including the Owensboro Metropolitan Public Improvement Specifications; violating that compliance requirement is expressly made a misdemeanor. The building inspector serves as the Floodplain Administrator under Section 18-4(a) and administers permits, and a floodplain construction permit expires if construction has not commenced within 365 days of issuance under Section 18-4(c)(15). Appeals of the Floodplain Administrator's decisions go to the Owensboro Metropolitan Board of Adjustment and then to Daviess County Circuit Court.
Violations & Fines
Developing land or altering a structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area without the required development permit, or without complying with the floodplain article, constitutes a misdemeanor under Section 18-3(d). Penalties for the article are set under Article V of the Zoning Ordinance, and the Floodplain Administrator can issue stop-work orders and revoke a permit obtained on a false statement or built out of compliance under Section 18-4(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit before building in an Owensboro flood zone?
What happens if I build without complying with the floodplain ordinance?
Who administers Owensboro's floodplain permits?
Sources & Official References
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