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The flood zone of the property (determined by the FIRMs) will determine if development within the floodplain is permissible, and if so, what standards need to be met. Generally speaking, here are the common flood zones in Waupaca County and how it broadly relates to development:

-Zone AE Floodway: Very limited development permissible. No increase to flood depths or obstructions to flood flows allowed.
-Zone AE Floodfringe: Development generally permissible. Structures are required to be elevated and floodproofed, as described in this handout. Please note, additional standards may apply.
-Zone A (General Floodplain): Development generally not permissible without first completing a Hydraulic and Hydrologic Analysis (often referred to as an H & H or flood study). The H & H would help determine flood elevations and the extents of the Floodway and Floodfringe.
-Zone X: No floodplain standards apply. It is also known as the minimal-risk floodplain area and can denote the 500-year floodplain (areas of 0.2% annual chance flood).
-Flood Storage: Development generally permissible; however, any additions within the zone would require an equal amount of storage capacity to be removed within that district. Development must meet the same standards as the floodfringe district; however, the flood storage district could also overlap an underlying floodway or Zone A district. In these cases, the most restrictive standards would apply.

Please contact our office when looking to develop within the floodplain, as a Land Use Permit is required for most types of development. Under the Floodplain Ordinance, the definition of development is: "Any artificial change to improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, the construction of buildings, structures or accessory structures; the construction of additions or alterations to buildings, structures or accessory structures; the repair of any damaged structure or the improvement or renovation of any structure, regardless of percentage of damage or improvement; the placement of buildings or structures; subdivision layout and site preparation; mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations; the storage, deposition or extraction of materials or equipment; and the installation, repair or removal of public or private sewage disposal systems or water supply facilities."

Other standards, such as Shoreland and comprehensive zoning, will also apply to development on a property.

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