Frequently Asked Questions

Are business licenses required?

Clay County does not currently require a business license to operate a business on non-residentially zoned property. Each business must comply with the requirements of its zoning district.

If a business or use changes, a Change in Occupant form must be completed and approved by the Clay County Division of Planning and Zoning.

For questions about zoning districts, permitted uses, business types, or consistency, contact Planning and Zoning at 904-278-4705 or clay.zoning@claycountygov.com. Depending on the location of your business, you may also need to contact the Town of Orange Park, City of Green Cove Springs, City of Keystone Heights, or Town of Penney Farms regarding their local requirements.

Can I live in my RV?

No. You cannot live in an RV in Clay County.

Do you assist with home repairs?

Yes. Please contact the SHIP Program at 904-278-4700, or Community Services at 904-529-4256 or claycares@claycountygov.com.

Do you provide down payment assistance for home buyers?

Please contact the SHIP Program at 904-278-4700 or SHIP@claycountygov.com.

How can I apply to change my zoning?

Changing the zoning designation of a property is called a rezoning. Visit the Rezoning to All Other Districts webpage for information about the process and application steps.

How can I find out more information on flood safety?

During a flood, remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown. Never drive through water of unknown depth. As little as 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock down an adult, and 12 inches of fast-moving water can carry away a car.

You can register for emergency alerts, including flash flooding alerts, through the county’s Emergency Management website. The site also provides information about evacuation routes, Black Creek water levels, and current disaster activity.

How can I find out what the current water levels are in my area?

The Bureau of Water Resources provides monthly precipitation data, water levels, and potentiometric water surface levels for the area. To view the latest water levels, visit the Current Water Levels webpage.

To check Black Creek levels, visit the National Weather Service website. Black Creek status is updated twice daily.

Information for the St. Johns River is available on the NOAA Tides and Currents website.

How can I get flood insurance?

Flood damage is usually not covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy. Even if you do not live in a high-risk flood area, flood insurance is strongly recommended. Renters should also consider contents coverage.

Clay County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. Many property owners in low- and moderate-risk areas may qualify for preferred-rate coverage.

For more information, visit FloodSmart.gov or call 1-877-336-2627. Please note that flood insurance policies typically do not take effect until 30 days after purchase.

How can I get information for the HUD Section 8 program?

Please call 386-437-3221 or email SHIP@claycountygov.com.

How can I look up my flood zone?

Clay County provides access to Flood Insurance Rate Maps on the Flood Maps webpage. Start with the FEMA index map to identify the panel for your location, then open that panel to view your flood zone.

You can also use the county’s interactive map. Enter the address in the search field and turn on the Flood Zone Data layer.

You may also search for your flood insurance rate map through the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.

How can I obtain an Elevation Certificate for floodplain development permits?

You may be able to obtain an Elevation Certificate from one of the following sources:

• The county’s Floodplain Manager, if a certificate was previously completed and filed with the county.
• The seller, if you are purchasing the property.
• The developer or builder, especially for properties built in high-risk flood zones.
• Your property records, if the certificate was included with the deed paperwork.
• A licensed land surveyor, professional engineer, or certified architect who is authorized to certify elevation information.

How can I protect my home from flooding?

One of the best ways to protect your home from flooding is to purchase flood insurance.

You can also reduce flood risk through mitigation measures such as elevating electrical outlets and service equipment, dry or wet floodproofing, berm construction, building elevation, demolition, or relocation.

Help reduce flooding by correcting sewer backup issues and by keeping nearby streams, ditches, and storm drains free of obstructions. Under Clay County Ordinance 2006-59, it is illegal to dump trash, debris, chemicals, or anything other than rainwater into stormwater systems, streams, and similar surfaces.

To report a problem with a county-owned drainage system, call Public Works at 904-269-6335. To report an illicit discharge, call Engineering at 904-269-6301.

For assistance protecting your home from flood damage, contact the Floodplain Manager at 904-529-3825 or the Building Official at 904-269-6307.

How do I apply for a culvert or driveway?

Visit the Driveway Permits webpage. For questions, email the Engineering Department at DrivewayPermits@claycountygov.com. If you need assistance with your driveway or culvert application, call 904-541-5287.

How do I get a copy of the survey for my property?

If a survey has not been completed for your property, or if you cannot locate it, you may request one from a surveying company. Government offices do not keep private property surveys on file. Keep your survey with your property records for future reference.

How do I submit for Development Review Committee?

Applications must be submitted to the Department of Economic and Development Services, 477 Houston Street, 3rd Floor, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043.

Resources are also available on the Planning and Zoning webpage. For assistance, call 904-541-3814 or 904-541-3838, or email DRC@ClayCountyGov.com.

How can I find out my evacuation zone?

You can view or download a map of Clay County evacuation zones on the Emergency Management Evacuation and Flood Zones webpage.

I just found out I have flooding on my property. Who do I talk to?

Please call the Special Projects Coordinator at 904-529-3825.

I need a ramp installed at my home. Whom can I call?

Contact Community Services at 904-529-4256 or claycares@claycountygov.com. You may also contact James Boys Ministry at Orange Park Methodist Church at 904-303-9170.

I need financial assistance for my electric bill. Whom can I call for help?

Call NE Florida Community Action at 904-398-7472, Community Services at 904-529-4256, or email claycares@claycountygov.com.

I need financial assistance for my water bill. Whom can I call for help?

Call NE Florida Community Action at 904-398-7472, Community Services at 904-529-4256, or email claycares@claycountygov.com.

I need to find old plans on my home and a survey. Do you have those on file?

The original blueprints for your home were provided by the builder at the time of construction. If they are not on the property, it may be difficult to locate a copy.

Government offices do not keep private property surveys, blueprints, or house plans on file. If no survey has been completed or you cannot locate it, you may request one from a surveying company.

I want to build a new home on a vacant property, and I heard I need to pay an impact fee. Who do I call?

Please contact the Special Projects Coordinator at 904-529-3825. You can also visit the Impact Mobility Fees webpage for more information.

I’m behind on my mortgage, and my house is going into foreclosure. What can I do?

For foreclosure intervention, call Jacksonville Legal Aid at 904-284-8410.

I’m behind on my rent and looking at eviction. Whom can I call for help?

Please call Community Services at 904-529-4256 or email claycares@claycountygov.com.

Is a new airport planned in Clay County? Is the airport near me being expanded?

No new airport is planned in the county, and no existing airport has submitted expansion plans to the county.

Is my property being rezoned?

No. Property is not being rezoned because of the proposed zoning regulations.

Is the lot buildable?

Please contact Zoning at 904-278-4705 or clay.zoning@claycountygov.com for more information.

If Zoning staff are unavailable when you call, please leave a detailed message with the property address, parcel ID, your name, telephone number, and a good email address so staff can respond promptly.

What are my setbacks on my property?

Visit the Property Questions webpage for more information. You will need to use the iMapping system to determine your zoning district.

What are the Lake Asbury and Branan Field Master Plans?

The Lake Asbury and Branan Field Master Plans are special area plans that guide development in those two parts of the county. These areas are among the fastest-growing parts of Clay County, due in part to the construction of the First Coast Expressway.

The plans include guidelines that regulate the type and quality of development allowed in each area. Visit the Master Plans webpage for more information.

What do I need to build in a floodplain?

Any proposed development in a Special Flood Hazard Area requires an approved Floodplain Development Permit.

Clay County floodplain regulations define development as any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including buildings, structures, tanks, temporary structures, temporary or permanent storage of equipment or materials, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavations, drilling operations, and other land-disturbing activities.

For more information and to obtain a Floodplain Development Permit, visit the Development within a Flood Plain webpage.

Residential finished floor elevations, including basements and machinery or equipment in numbered A zones, must have the lowest floor elevated at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation or design flood elevation, whichever is higher.

Residential finished floor elevations, including basements in unnumbered A zones, must be elevated at least 3 feet above the highest adjacent grade. Manufactured homes in Special Flood Hazard Areas must also meet these elevation requirements.

Elevation compliance must be documented through Elevation Certificates completed at the required stages of construction.

No development, including site improvements, fill, regrading, or other land-disturbing work, may occur in the regulatory floodway unless a Floodway Encroachment Analysis, also called a No-Rise Study, is submitted and approved by the county.

This analysis must be signed and sealed by a registered professional engineer and must show that the proposed work will not increase the base flood elevation. In some limited cases, such as minor projects or work in a floodway conveyance shadow, the county may determine that the analysis is not required.

If development is proposed in a designated wetland, the project should also be reviewed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for any required approvals or permits.

What is being built at a certain location?

For information about a construction project at a specific site, email permits@claycountygov.com.

What is the Future Land Use and/or zoning designation of my property?

Step-by-step directions for using the county’s interactive map are available on the Property Questions webpage.

What is Future Land Use?

All properties in Florida must have a Future Land Use designation under state law. This designation identifies the general land use category and the allowable density or intensity for a parcel.

Density refers to the number of residential units allowed. Intensity refers to the amount of non-residential floor area allowed.

You can read the county’s Comprehensive Plan and review additional Future Land Use information on the applicable county webpages.

What is zoning?

All properties in Florida must have a zoning district designation under state law. This designation determines what uses may be allowed on a parcel and establishes design and development requirements.

You can review the county’s Development Code for more information.

Where do we apply for alarm decals?

Alarm systems must be registered with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Zoning staff process alarm registration applications on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.

Applications may be submitted by U.S. Mail to P.O. Box 1366, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043; delivered in person to the Zoning counter at 477 Houston Street, 3rd Floor, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043; or emailed to clay.zoning@claycountygov.com.

The current fee is $35 for a new decal.

If you are mailing a check, make it payable to CCBOCC and include your current telephone number. If you submit by email, Zoning staff will send you a payment link after your information has been entered. For online submissions, the decal will be mailed by USPS.

For complete information and to apply, visit the Alarm Decal webpage. For additional guidance, email Clay.Zoning@ClayCountyGov.com.

Who handles the water and sewer for my neighborhood?

The Board of County Commissioners does not provide water or sewer service. Please contact your utility company.

For well and septic system questions, contact the Department of Environmental Health at 904-278-3784.

Why did I receive a Notice to Adjacent Property Owners letter prior to the February 6 Planning Commission meeting?

Letters were sent to property owners within 1,400 feet of an existing airport, aircraft landing strip, or helicopter landing pad.

The purpose of the letters was to notify nearby property owners that the proposed zoning regulations would be discussed at the February 6 Planning Commission meeting. Receiving the letter only means the property is within 1,400 feet of an airfield.

Why does the county need these regulations now?

The State of Florida regulates public airports and requires counties with a public-use airport in their jurisdiction to adopt regulations under Chapter 333, Florida Statutes.

The state does not regulate private-use airports and does not require counties to regulate them. However, based on public comment, the proposed amendment was expanded to include limited voluntary regulation of private-use aircraft landing facilities.

Why is land being cleared?

Please email DRC@claycountygov.com.