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Pasco, WA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

FEMA flood zone rules in Pasco, WA, 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, fill, or development in a mapped flood hazard area
Administering official: Building Inspector / Director of Community & Economic Development
Floodway construction: Prohibited absent engineer no-rise certification
Subdivision threshold: 50 lots or 5 acres triggers new flood elevation study
Variance path: PMC 24.16.080-24.16.090

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 Pasco, WA.

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 Pasco, WA on the FEMA flood map

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

Summary

Pasco requires a development permit before any construction, fill, or manufactured home placement begins in a mapped area of special flood hazard. The Director of Community and Economic Development, acting through the Building Inspector, reviews every application under PMC Title 24 before other city or state permits can be finalized.

A development permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard established in PMC 24.12.020. The permit shall be for all structures including manufactured homes, as set forth in PMC 24.08.020, Definitions, and for all development, including fill and other activities, also as set forth in PMC 24.08.020, Definitions.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4837, passed May 4, 2026).

Full Breakdown

16 PMC puts the Building Inspector in charge of every flood-hazard development permit. 020. 030). 060). 120 goes further: it bars encroachments, fill, and new construction outright unless a registered professional engineer certifies, through hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, that the project will not raise base flood levels, and it separately bars new residential construction in the floodway except for limited repairs that don't add ground floor area or exceed 50 percent of the structure's market value in cumulative five-year repair costs. 090 rather than build first and ask later.

Violations & Fines

Building without the PMC 24.16.010 development permit is unpermitted floodplain development, which the Building Inspector can catch on review of any later permit application since PMC 24.16.030 requires cross-checking outstanding approvals. In a designated floodway, building without the engineer's no-rise certification required by PMC 24.20.120(1) is a straight ordinance violation regardless of the structure's size. Owners who build without following the elevation and safety review standards also risk sharply higher federal flood insurance premiums under PMC 24.20.060.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to fill or grade land in a Pasco flood zone?

Yes. PMC 24.16.010 requires a development permit before any construction or development, including fill and grading, begins in an area of special flood hazard established under PMC 24.12.020, whether or not a building permit is otherwise required.

Can I build in a mapped floodway in Pasco?

Only if a registered professional engineer certifies, through hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, that the encroachment will not raise base flood levels (PMC 24.20.120(1)). New residential construction is barred in floodways except for limited repairs under the 50 percent market-value threshold.

Who reviews floodplain permit applications in Pasco?

The Building Inspector, under the Director of Community and Economic Development, reviews every development permit for compliance with Title 24 and confirms any other required federal, state, or local approvals are already obtained, per PMC 24.16.030.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Pasco

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All Pasco rules

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