FEMA flood zone rules in Placer County, CA — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Placer County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and enforces a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance through Placer County Public Works. Any construction or development in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) requires a floodplain development permit and an Elevation Certificate.
Placer County's Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance is adopted under 44 CFR Part 60 and administered by Placer County Public Works. SFHAs in Placer County are identified on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) — typically Zone A, AE, AO, and AH along the American River, Bear River, Dry Creek, Auburn Ravine, Coon Creek, Pleasant Grove Creek, and other tributaries. Before construction or development begins inside an SFHA, the property owner must obtain a Floodplain Development Permit. New residential structures and substantial improvements must be elevated with the lowest floor at or above the base flood elevation (BFE); non-residential structures must be elevated or dry-floodproofed. An Elevation Certificate prepared by a licensed surveyor or engineer is required to document compliance and rate the structure for NFIP insurance. Mandatory federal flood insurance applies to federally backed mortgages on properties in SFHAs. Floodplain disclosure to buyers is required under Cal. Civ. Code §1103.
Development in an SFHA without a Floodplain Development Permit is a violation of the County's Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance enforced by Placer County Public Works and Building Services. Non-compliance can result in stop-work orders, fines, FEMA flood-insurance rating penalties, and required mitigation or removal.
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See how Placer County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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