Floodplain Development Permit Requirements

Any development within the SFHA is subject to federal and City’s floodplain management requirements. Always check with the City Land Development Engineering at (408) 586-3325 before you build on, alter, re-grade, or place fill on your property.

To report illegal floodplain development activity, call the Building Department at (408) 586-3240 or the City Land development Engineering at (408) 586-3325.

Floor Elevation:

New buildings in the SFHA must have their lowest floor elevation (excluding garage) flood-proofed or raised a minimum of one foot above the base flood (100-year) elevation.

Substantial Improvement (SI):

Substantially improved structures in the SFHA must meet the same floodplain construction requirements as new buildings. SI is defined as any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds forty-nine (49) percent of the fair market value of the structure before the start of the new construction. Improvements to any structure within the SFHA are cumulatively tracked for 10 years.

Substantial Damage (SD):

Substantially damaged structures (a structure damaged so that the cost of repairs equals or exceeds 49% of the structure’s value before it was damaged) in the SFHA must also meet the same floodplain construction requirements as new buildings.

To find out more about the requirements, for construction in the floodplain, please contact the City Land development Engineering Sector at (408) 586-3325.

For information on selecting a qualified architect, engineer, or contractor, call the City Building Department at (408) 586-3240.