Floodplain Administration

The Building Official is responsible for administering the floodplain program in accordance with federal laws.  

A floodplain is a land area that is subject to being inundated by water from any source but most typically, rivers, creeks and drainage areas.  A Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is a flood map created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to designate special flood hazards and risk premium zones applicable within Orange.  It is used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for floodplain management, mitigation and insurance.  

A Base Flood Elevation (BFE) is the computed elevation to which floodwater is expected to rise during the base flood.  BFEs are shown on FIRMs and on the flood profiles.  The BFE is the regulatory requirement for the elevation or floodproofing of structures.  The relationship between the BFE and a structure’s elevation determines the flood insurance premium.

The FEMA Floodplain Ordinance Map (PDF) will show requirements and map information to allow you to view and print your property area for a lender or insurance agent, if needed. 

Find additional Property Floodplain Information on properties within the City of Orange.