Floodplain Management

Floodplain Ordinances & Permit Forms

How do I know which ordinance is right for my town?

The ordinance requirement is determined by the kind of flood hazard identification map that has been provided to your community by the Federal Insurance Administrator. Early maps, before 1979, were done by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Maps from 1979 to present were done by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The more detailed the flood maps, the more detailed the community's floodplain management regulations must be. The National Flood Insurance Program Regulations at 44 CFR, Part 60.3 further tie the type and scope of minimum local regulations to the types of map.

The State of Maine's model floodplain management ordinances (in both Adobe Acrobat and HTML format) can be found here:
Which ordinance is right for my town?

If you would like to receive a floodplain management ordinance that has been specifically tailored for your community, please contact the Maine Floodplain Management Program.

How does my town adopt a Floodplain Management Ordinance?

Simple instructions showing how your community can adopt floodplain management regulations.

What changes have taken place in the state model floodplain ordinance since my town last adopted an ordinance?

The following links will show you the year the changes were made to the state model and where in the ordinance the language was changed.

Ordinance Update 2009

Ordinance Update 2007

Ordinance Update 2005

Ordinance Update 2002

Ordinance Update 2000

Ordinance Updates 1998 and 1999

Ordinance Update 1997

Ordinance Updates 1987-1996

Flood Hazard Development Application and Permit Forms

The following files are in Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, and Screen-Reader (HTML) formats. If you are having trouble viewing the Acrobat files, you may need to adjust your browser settings. More information.

Does the development require a Flood Hazard Development Permit? Follow the Decision Tree (PDF, 37 KB) (MS Word, 80 KB) to find out.

The appropriate Flood Hazard Development Permit Application Form and two Part Permit Forms are determined by the level of flood hazard identification shown on the flood map for your community. The more detailed the flood maps, the more detailed the community's flood hazard development permit application and permit forms will be. See the links below to find the appropriate versions for your community. At the bottom of the page, you will find links to the remaining forms that complete the Flood Hazard Development Application and Permit Package.

Your community should use the 60.3 (b) Flood Hazard Development Permit Application and Two Part Permit Forms (PDF, 31 KB) (MS Word, 45 KB) if the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or Flood Hazard Boundary Map for your town:

is an 11" x 17" "Flat Map" also known as an "Approximate Method Map" without base flood elevations. The Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) are identified with a capital letter A without any number following the letter (i.e., A Zone).
is a Z fold map without any base flood elevations (if there are any flood elevations anywhere on any of the map panels, even though the majority of the zones are A zones then it is not a (b) community).
is listed in the FEMA Community Status Book as Minimally flood prone (an M is next to the community's map effective date in the Status Book).

Your community should use the 60.3(c) or 60.3(d) Flood Hazard Development Permit Application and Two Part Permit Forms (PDF, 32 KB) (MS Word, 44 KB) if the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map for your town:

is a Z fold map with base flood elevations having Special Flood Hazard Areas identified as an AE, A1-30, AH, and/or AO Zone.
if there are base flood elevations anywhere on any of the map panels, your community needs this permit application form, even if some panels do not have AE, A1-30, AH or AO and all zones are labeled on the panel as A.
has no identified regulatory floodway or coastal high hazard area OR
has the "floodway" portion of the floodplain delineated on the FIRM with a cross hatched pattern, OR
has a separate set of Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps delineating the floodway portion of the floodplain as a non shaded area.

Your community should use the 60.3(e) Flood Hazard Permit Application and Two Part Permit Forms (PDF, 32 KB) (MS Word, 60 KB) if the effective FIRM for your town:

has any coastal Special Flood Hazard Areas identified as a VE or V1-30 Zones.

The following forms complete the state model Flood Hazard Development Application & Permit Package:

Minor Development Permit (PDF, 8 KB) (MS Word, 22 KB)

Conditional Use Permit (PDF, 8 KB) (MS Word, 24 KB)
Please Note: This form can only be legally used if your local floodplain management ordinance contains the state standards for a conditional use.

Floodproofing Permit for non-residential structures only (PDF, 8 KB) (MS Word, 22 KB)

Certificate of Compliance (PDF, 15 KB) (MS Word, 23 KB)

Hydraulic Openings Certificate (PDF, 15 KB) (MS Word, 26 KB)

V Zone Certificate (PDF, 15 KB) (MS Word, 26 KB)

FEMA Elevation Certificate
This link will take you directly to FEMA's web site where you may download the Elevation Certificate in either PDF or MS Word format.

FEMA Floodproofing Certificate
This link will take you directly to FEMA's web site where you may download the Floodproofing Certificate in PDF format only.

fLoodplain Management Program

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