South Fulton, GA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

South Fulton's floodplain rules sit in Title 14, Chapter 14 of the City Code, adopted by Ordinance No. 2020-023 on August 25, 2020, and apply to every area of special flood hazard and area of future-conditions flood hazard within city limits, per Sec. 14-14003. Under Sec. 14-14009, no owner or developer may perform development activity, including filling, grading, dredging, paving or building, on a flood hazard site without first submitting a permit application to the city; no permit is approved unless the project meets the ordinance's restrictions and criteria.

The floodplain administrator, appointed under Sec. 14-14004, reviews applications against the current FEMA flood insurance study for Fulton County, dated September 18, 2013, and its accompanying maps (Sec. 14-14005). Sec. 01 foot or more, reduce flood storage capacity, alter flow depth or velocity at the site's boundaries, or create erosion-producing velocities. Building standards in Sec. 14-14020 require new or substantially improved principal residential structures to have their lowest floor, including any basement, elevated no lower than three feet above the base flood elevation or one foot above the future-conditions flood elevation, whichever is higher; non-residential structures may instead be floodproofed to that same level and certified by a licensed engineer or architect.

Manufactured homes must sit on reinforced piers at least 36 inches above grade or meet the same elevation standard. Property owners denied a permit may request a variance under Sec. 14-14025 through the zoning board of appeals, but variances are barred inside any designated floodway that would raise flood levels and cannot be issued after construction has already occurred.