Carteret County, NC Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)

Carteret County's Flood Damage Prevention chapter (Chapter 7) applies countywide, including unincorporated Down East, Harkers Island and the White Oak and Newport River communities, wherever FEMA maps a special flood hazard area. Section 7-86's general standards require every new structure and substantial improvement to be anchored to resist flotation, collapse and lateral movement, built with FEMA Technical Bulletin 2 flood-resistant materials, and constructed using methods that minimize flood damage; utilities such as HVAC equipment, water heaters and electrical panels must sit at or above the regulatory flood protection elevation or be designed to keep water out.

Before any development begins in a mapped hazard area, Sec. 7-67 requires an application to the floodplain administrator, the Director of Planning and Development, including a plot plan, the FIRM flood-zone designation, and the proposed elevation of the reference level in relation to NAVD 1988. An elevation certificate (FEMA Form 086-0-33) must be filed before construction starts and again after the reference level is set, per Sec. 7-67(c). Failure to submit or correct the certification is grounds to deny the permit or issue a stop-work order.

Section 7-69 lets the floodplain administrator order corrective action after a hearing, with 60 to 180 days to remedy a violation; owners may appeal to the zoning board of adjustment within 30 days. Variances go to the same board under Sec. 7-70 and require a written report addressing flood-risk factors; anyone granted a variance to build below the regulatory flood protection elevation must be told in writing that flood-insurance premiums can run up to $25.00 per $100.00 of coverage.