Zoning › State preemptions › Maryland

Maryland Floodplain Management — NFIP Participation & State Standards (MD)

Tracked preemption from the Maryland overlay bundle.

Overview

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Effective
1976-01-01
Sunset
—
Authority
state
Scope
state:MD
Other Maryland preemptions
Maryland Land Use Article — Zoning & Planning Enabling AuthorityMaryland Historic District Enabling Authority (LU §8-201)Maryland Military Installation Joint Land Use Studies (LU §22-301)Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area — Worcester County OverlayMaryland Priority Funding Areas (PFA) — Smart Growth ActMaryland Rural Legacy Program — Designated Rural Legacy AreasMaryland Forest Conservation Act (FCA)Maryland Wetlands of Special State Concern (WSSC) & Nontidal Wetlands

Trigger predicate

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

OR
  • parcel.in_sfha_100yr_floodplain == True
  • parcel.in_floodway == True
  • parcel.geometry geographic match

Preempted fields

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

FieldOpValueNote
base_districts[*].lowest_floor_elevation_ftfloor_atbfe_plus_2_freeboardMaryland state-minimum floodplain ordinance requires lowest floor (including basement) elevated at least 2 feet above Base Flood Elevation (BFE); local ordinances may require greater freeboard. COMAR 26.17.04.05.
base_districts[*].development_in_regulatory_floodwaywaive—No new construction, fill, or substantial improvement permitted in the regulatory floodway unless a no-rise certification from a Maryland-licensed PE is provided.
review_typeaddmde_waterway_construction_permit_if_in_100yrConstruction in the 100-yr floodplain affecting flow of a stream or river requires an MDE Waterway Construction Permit under Env. §5-503 / §5-801 et seq.

Citation

Authority source
Md. Code Ann., Environment §§5-501 through 5-513 (Floodplain Management) and §§5-801 through 5-806 (Construction on Nontidal Waters); COMAR 26.17.04 (state minimum floodplain ordinance)
§ §§5-501 through 5-513; §§5-801 through 5-806
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gen§ion=5-501

Research notes

Every Maryland jurisdiction participates in NFIP. State minimum ordinance under COMAR 26.17.04 sets a 2-ft freeboard requirement (stricter than the federal 1-ft minimum) for residential structures in SFHAs. MDE Water and Science Administration administers state Waterway Construction permits (Env. §5-503 cited as the originating section for the post-Tropical-Storm-Agnes-1972 regulatory regime). Federal conflict check: FEMA NFIP minimum standards (44 CFR 60.3), CRS community-rating tiers, and Coastal A Zone / Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) overlays apply in tidewater jurisdictions.