FEMA flood zone rules in San Rafael, CA — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Significant portions of San Rafael — particularly the Canal District, East San Rafael, and Loch Lomond — are in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas. New construction in these zones must comply with floodplain management regulations and BCDC sea-level-rise guidance. The General Plan 2040 explicitly addresses sea-level rise as a planning constraint.
Construction in a Special Flood Hazard Area requires elevation certificates, minimum finished floor elevation at or above the base flood elevation plus the city's freeboard requirement, and flood-resistant materials below the BFE. Floodplain management is administered by the Building Division consistent with NFIP requirements. Sea-level-rise scenarios from BCDC's Rising Tides program guide long-term planning.
Floodplain construction violations are enforced under §12.100.010(11) Property Maintenance Code and the Building Code adoptions, with $100/$410 infraction or $500/$2,050 misdemeanor.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA
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