![]() ![]() Previously only 18” above the 100-year floodplain elevation was required.Īdditionally, critical facilities such as schools, hospitals and the like are required to be elevated three feet above the 500-year floodplain or 24” above the centerline of the adjacent street, whichever is higher. Mechanical, HVAC, and electrical equipment as well as storage tanks, pipes, and ducts must also now be elevated 24” above the 500-year floodplain. For a structure to be permitted in any Zone “A” or “V”, its lowest finished floor will be required to be elevated 24” above the 500-year flood elevation or 12” above the centerline of the nearest public street, whichever is higher. Structures will be required to be constructed with pier and beam foundations. Class II Permitĭevelopments in this classification will be held to a much higher standard. Additionally, if a development within a non-conforming subdivision is under the 500-year floodplain and above the 100-year, then the finished floor elevation of the structure must be elevated above the 500-year floodplain elevation. If the development lies within a Non-conforming Subdivision, the structure must be 6” (12” for single family) higher than the lowest adjacent grade to the structure and at least 12” above the centerline of the adjacent street. ![]() If your property is within the Shaded X, or 500-year floodplain, it must be demonstrated that the lowest adjacent grade of the structure is above the 100-year floodplain. If your development qualifies for a Class “I” Permit, or if your property lies entirely out of the mapped 100-year floodplain, then no significant changes have been proposed. During the platting process, if a parcel is above the 100-year floodplain and the infrastructure servicing the site, such as roadways and utilities, follow specific County infrastructure regulations regarding drainage design, then it is considered a “Conforming Subdivision”. ![]() This permit requires that structures be elevated at a particular elevation above the regulatory floodplain.Ī new designation has been created for parcels that conform with specific infrastructure criteria. Class “II” Permit: Development that is located on a property where any ground elevation is below the 1% or 100-year floodplain flood elevation.This permit does not typically carry many additional requirements, as any structure will be above the regulatory floodplain. Class “I” Permit: Development that will be made on land that is located entirely out of the mapped 1% or 100-year floodplain as delineated on a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).There are two types of floodplain permits: When a development is proposed within an unincorporated area of Harris County or in some Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) of cities within the County, it must be considered for a Harris County floodplain development permit. These modifications reflect the effort of the County to create subdivision and permitting regulations that help prevent or mitigate flooding in our communities. The Harris County Engineering Department drafted and approved an amendment to its Regulations for Floodplain Management on Decemand will be effective as we ring in the new year on January 1, 2018. The County is keeping their word on raising the regulatory floodplain from the 100-year to the 500-year floodplain elevation and, in some areas, could reflect a difference of as much as several feet and many thousands of dollars in increased development cost. ![]() The unprecedented flooding damage of Hurricane Harvey spurred jurisdictional authorities to get to work reviewing their floodplain regulations and Harris County is one of the first to release their latest changes. ![]()
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