Zoning › State preemptions › Georgia

Georgia Flood Damage Prevention — NFIP Participation & DNR Model Ordinance (GA)

Tracked preemption from the Georgia overlay bundle.

Overview

← All state preemptionsGeorgia overlay roll-upGeorgia zoning wikiGeorgia building codesFederal overlaysGlossaryFederal-conflict: Yes
Effective
1968-08-01
Sunset
—
Authority
state_federal_joint
Scope
state:GA
Other Georgia preemptions
Georgia Short-Term Rentals — No State PreemptionGeorgia Density / ADU / Design Review — No State PreemptionGeorgia Tree Canopy / Tree Ordinance — No Statewide PreemptionGeorgia Military Installation & Airport Compatible-Use Zoning ReviewGeorgia Local Hazard Mitigation Plan — FEMA Stafford Act §322 ComplianceGeorgia Service Delivery Strategy Act (HB 489) — Intergovernmental Coordination MandateGeorgia Groundwater Recharge Area Protection — DCA Part V Environmental Planning CriteriaGeorgia Wetlands Protection — DCA Part V Environmental Planning Criteria

Trigger predicate

When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.

city.in_femap_special_flood_hazard_area == True

Preempted fields

3 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.

FieldOpValueNote
base_districts[*].requires_flood_damage_prevention_ordinanceoverrideTrueNFIP participation requires adoption of a flood damage prevention ordinance meeting 44 CFR §60.3 minimums; GA DNR/EPD distributes a model ordinance as the state standard
base_districts[*].min_lowest_floor_elevation_ft_above_bfefloor_at1Lowest floor of new residential construction in SFHA must be elevated at or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE); GA DNR model ordinance adds 1-ft freeboard. Some local ordinances require 2 or 3 ft freeboard (stricter local allowed)
base_districts[*].prohibits_critical_facilities_in_floodwayoverrideTrueNo new construction, substantial improvement, or other development permitted in the regulatory floodway if it would result in any increase in flood levels during the base flood (44 CFR §60.3(d)(3))

Citation

Authority source
National Flood Insurance Act (42 U.S.C. §4001 et seq.); 44 CFR §60.3 (minimum criteria); O.C.G.A. §12-5-440 et seq. (state implementation); GA DNR/EPD Floodplain Management Program model ordinance
§ 44 CFR §60.3; GA DNR Model Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance
https://epd.georgia.gov/watershed-protection-branch/floodplain-management

Research notes

Hybrid federal/state mandate — NFIP participation is voluntary at the community level, but loss of NFIP eligibility blocks federally backed mortgages in mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas. Effectively universal across GA cities/counties with FEMA-mapped SFHAs. GA DNR/EPD provides the state model ordinance and conducts Community Assistance Visits. Federal conflict check enabled because federal floodplain standards intersect with state stream-buffer rules (§12-7) and the Erosion & Sedimentation Act — local ordinances must satisfy the more stringent of state, federal, or local provisions.