Passaic, NJ Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Passaic, NJ, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- NFIP participation since
- September 28, 1979 (§ 143-2B)
- Governing FIS
- Passaic County FIS dated April 17, 2020
- Chapter adopted
- November 9, 2023 (Ord. No. 2422-23)
- Permit required
- From Floodplain Administrator before development (§ 143-4A)
- State overlay
- FHACA regulates 50+ acre drainage areas (§ 143-2B(4))
- Studied waters
- Passaic River, Weasel Brook (§ 143-2B(4))
- Cure period
- 30 days before fine over $1,250 (§ 143-8D)
Summary
Development anywhere in Passaic's mapped flood hazard areas needs a floodplain development permit from the Floodplain Administrator. Chapter 143, adopted November 9, 2023, layers the city's own Floodplain Management Regulations onto the Uniform Construction Code and New Jersey's Flood Hazard Area Control Act rather than leaving flood control to state rules alone.
These regulations, in conjunction with the Uniform Construction Code, provide minimum requirements for development located in flood hazard areas, including the subdivision of land and other developments; site improvements and installation of utilities; placement and replacement of manufactured homes... The City of Passaic was accepted for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program on September 28, 1979. ... Maps and studies that establish flood hazard areas are on file at the City of Passaic Engineering Division, located at 870 Main Avenue, Passaic, NJ 07055.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4978046; v41 updated 2026-07-01; through 07-01-2026).
Full Breakdown
' § 143-2B states that 'the City of Passaic was accepted for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program on September 28, 1979,' and adopts by reference the FEMA Flood Insurance Study 'Flood Insurance, Passaic County, New Jersey (All Jurisdictions),' dated April 17, 2020, along with its accompanying FIRM panels (34031C0238G, 34031C0257G, 34031C0259G, 34031C0276G and 34031C0278G) as the baseline flood hazard maps. Because New Jersey's Flood Hazard Area Control Act regulates any drainage area of 50 acres or more, broader than FEMA's mapped special flood hazard areas, § 143-2B(4) notes the regulated area 'may extend beyond the boundaries of the special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) as identified by FEMA,' and lists the Passaic River and Weasel Brook as state-studied waters within the city.
§ 143-4A requires anyone intending development in a flood hazard area to first apply to and obtain a permit from the Floodplain Administrator, and that permit is separate from, and may be required in addition to, a building permit.
Violations & Fines
Development in a flood hazard area performed without a floodplain permit, or in conflict with an issued permit, is a violation under § 143-8A. The Floodplain Administrator can issue a stop-work order or notice of violation, and property owners get a thirty-day cure period before a fine exceeding $1,250 may be imposed under § 143-8D and N.J.S.A. 40:49-5; continued work after a stop-work order draws separate penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Passaic have its own floodplain ordinance, or just the state rules?
Who issues floodplain development permits in Passaic?
What waterways define Passaic's flood hazard areas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Passaic
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Passaic County handle flood zones.