What is the flood fringe?
The flood fringe is the remainder of the floodplain lying outside of the floodway. This area is generally covered by shallow, slow moving flood waters. Development is normally allowed in the flood fringe provided that residential buildings are placed on fill so that the lowest floor, including the basement, is above the flood protection elevation. In communities that have not delineated separate floodway and flood fringe areas on their zoning map, a permit applicant will likely be asked to provide certain engineering information before they could build a structure in the floodplain. An engineer/surveyor will have to evaluate the proposed building site and furnish local officials with the necessary data to determine the property’s flood protection elevation and whether the proposed structure is in the floodway. Professional services and special construction methods can be a substantial expense so a person should always check with the local zoning official before they buy property in a f
