Development Within a Flood Plain

Clay County Ordinance 87-45 requires that all development within Special Flood Hazard Areas obtain a permit before work begins.

Development includes any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including buildings, structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations, and permanent storage of materials.

Development of multiple building sites, whether or not approved through the County's subdivision approval process, must obtain a Floodplain Permit before development begins on any lot.

Floodplain Development Standards

The Floodplain Permit form helps ensure that all development meets applicable floodplain standards, including the requirements listed below.

1. Finished floor elevations, including basements and machinery or equipment, must be at least one foot above the base flood elevation. An Elevation Certificate signed and sealed by a registered land surveyor must be submitted with the Floodplain Permit application to document compliance. An approved FEMA letter, such as a LOMA, LOMR, LOMR-F, CLOMR, or CLOMR-F, may be submitted instead of an Elevation Certificate.
2. New construction or substantial improvement of elevated buildings with fully enclosed areas below the base flood elevation must be designed to prevent finished living space, be constructed of flood-resistant materials, and allow flood waters to automatically enter and exit to equalize flood forces on exterior walls.
3. Mobile homes and manufactured homes must be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement. Stands or lots must be elevated on compacted fill or pilings so that the lowest floor is at least one foot above the base flood level in Flood Zone AE and three feet above the highest adjacent grade in Flood Zone A. An Elevation Certificate signed and sealed by a registered land surveyor is required unless an approved FEMA letter is submitted.
4. Electrical, plumbing, and other utility equipment is prohibited below the base flood elevation, except for the minimum electric service required by code.
5. Septic tank permits are issued by the Health Department; however, compliance with the County Floodplain Ordinance is required to ensure that mounded systems and vulnerability to floodwater erosion are considered during development review.
6. Septic tank permits associated with site-built homes, modular homes, or mobile/manufactured homes located in the floodplain or floodway must be approved by the Health Department before the County may issue a building permit or move-on permit.
7. If development is located within a floodway, hydrologic and hydraulic analyses must demonstrate that the proposed encroachment will not increase flood levels during the base flood discharge. Documentation must be provided through a No-Rise Certification signed and sealed by a registered Professional Engineer and submitted with the Floodplain Permit application.
8. If initial development is limited to placing fill but future construction of habitable structures is anticipated, an Elevation Certificate will be required at the time of future permitting. If the property is located within a floodway, a revised No-Rise Certification may be required if the initial submittal did not account for future development.