Peoria, IL Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Chapter 12, Flood Damage Prevention and Control, was enacted under the city's police powers under the Illinois Municipal Code to keep Peoria eligible for the National Flood Insurance Program. Sec. 12-5 requires anyone not exempted by state law to obtain a development permit from the director of public works before commencing any development in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), and the director cannot issue that permit unless the proposal meets the chapter's requirements. The application must include scaled site drawings showing property lines, existing and proposed grade elevations, building locations and dimensions, and the lowest floor elevation of any proposed building.

The director compares the site elevation to the base flood elevation; land shown to have sat above base flood elevation before the site's first flood insurance rate map identification is treated as outside the SFHA. The director must also tell applicants about any other required local, state, or federal permits and cannot issue the city permit until those are obtained. Sec. 0-foot cumulative increase in base flood elevation for the affected stream reach. Sec. 12-3 assigns the director of public works ongoing duties: verifying that development meets the chapter, maintaining elevation and floodproofing records, inspecting projects for compliance, and coordinating with state and federal floodplain agencies.