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Development in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) requires additional review and construction of higher standards. In Jackson  County, any development (any man-made change to  improved or unimproved real estate) in the SFHA, including fill, requires a floodplain development permit.

This may require, but is not limited to;

• Elevating the lowest floor of  the structure one (1) foot above the Base  Flood Elevation
• A Flood Study to determine Base Flood Elevation where there is no data on  the Base Flood Elevation
• Venting to mitigate hydrostatic forces on structures
• Anchoring to prevent floatation, collapse and lateral movement
• An Elevation certificate prior to pouring the foundation and an As-Built Elevation Certificate at time of completion

These represent a some of the requirements listed in the Jackson County Land Development Ordinance (LDO) Chapter 7 (7.2). Each property and each proposal is unique, and will have requirements based on the flood zone, the proposed work and any additional property factors that are identified. You can find the floodplain development ordinance in the Planning Library section of this website, under Current Land Development Ordinance.

Jackson County Library has several FEMA publications on how to protect property from flood damage. For a list of available materials check the following link to Jackson County Library catalog of FEMA publications. You can also find additional information on protecting structures through FEMA.

If you wish to discuss potential development, mitigation and other floodplain requirements, the Floodplain Manager is available for one-on-one appointments.