Floodplain Management

The purpose of the Clay County Floodplain Management regulations within Chapter 11 of the Clay County Land Development Code ("LDC") (PDF) is to promote public health, safety, and general welfare and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specifically designated areas. In order to accomplish this task, the regulations are designed to:

Restrict or prohibit uses that are dangerous to health, safety, and property due to water or erosion hazards or that result in damaging increases in erosion or in flood heights or velocities;
Require that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities that serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction;
Control the alteration of natural floodplains, stream channels, and natural protective barriers that are involved in the accommodation of flood waters;
Control filling, grading, dredging, and other development that may increase erosion or flood damage waters;
Prevent or regulate the construction of flood barriers that will unnaturally divert flood waters or that may increase flood hazards to other lands; and maintain the County's eligibility for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as defined in 44 Code of Federal Regulations 59.22(a)(3), and to meet the requirements of 44.60.3(d).

For more information, please review Section 151-11.6 (C) of the Land Development Code (PDF).

Authority

Clay County is empowered to adopt, maintain, and enforce the floodplain development code pursuant to the powers granted and limitations imposed by the Missouri Revised Statutes (RSMo) Chapter 49.600.

Applicability

The Floodplain Development regulations apply to all areas of unincorporated Clay County identified as numbered and unnumbered A zones, AE, AO, and AH Zones, on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and the Flood Boundary and Floodway Map dated April 16, 2003, as amended. In all areas covered by this Chapter, no development shall be permitted except upon the issuance of a Floodplain Development Permit granted in accordance with the procedures and standards of this Chapter.

For more information, please review Section 151-11.6 (E) of the Land Development Code (PDF).

Floodplain Development Permit (FDP)

No development within any numbered or unnumbered A zones, AE, AO, and AH Zones on the current FIRM maps dated April 16, 2003, may be initiated until an applicant obtains a Floodplain Development Permit (FDP) (PDF) before initiating any construction activity. Development is defined as "any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, levees, levee systems, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations, or storage of equipment or materials".

For more information, please review Section 151-11.7 of the Land Development Code (PDF).

Important Note: For those construction activities that require a Building Permit, an FDP must first be approved and issued by the Director of the Planning and Zoning Department before any Building Permit may be obtained.

2015 FEMA Firm Panel Maps

The current FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) became effective on August 3, 2015, and represent the official source of the designated unnumbered A zones, AE, AO, and AH Zones applicable to the Clay County Floodplain Management regulations and FDP.

The FIRM Panel Maps covering unincorporated Clay County are listed on the Index Map. To view a detailed map, please follow the appropriate Map Number links below.

City Firm Panel Maps

For those areas inside city limits, property owners and individuals interested in real estate must contact the corresponding City to obtain effective FEMA FIRM Maps. Clay County only has floodplain management jurisdiction over the unincorporated areas of the County or those outside city limits.

Our Jurisdiction

The Clay County Planning and Zoning Department has home rule jurisdiction or control over only the unincorporated areas of the County, or those areas outside of city limits. If you live within an incorporated city, you will need to contact your city regarding any planning and zoning matters as only they have control inside their city boundaries.