Building in a flood zone in Camarillo: the local rules

Each rule below links to the section of the Camarillo Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Camarillo's code says

Camarillo code What Camarillo's code adds
Floodplain permit	You need a flood area development permit before construction or development starts in a special flood hazard area. § 16.34.300 · code text A flood area development permit (hereinafter "permit") shall be obtained before construction or development begins within any area of special flood hazard established in Section 16.34.200.
Building in a floodway	Encroachments into the floodway, including fill, are banned unless a registered professional engineer certifies no flood level rise. Applies: Designated floodways. § 16.34.450 · code text Encroachments into the floodway shall be prohibited, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other development which would increase flood elevations during the occurrence of the base flood discharge, unless certification by a registered professional engineer is provided demonstrating that encroachments shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge. A study must set a setback that keeps the base flood rise within 1 foot, or use the stream-width setback. Applies: Streams with no floodway: setback of 5 times the stream width or 20 feet each side, whichever is greater. § 16.34.450 · code text If no floodway is identified, the permit holder shall provide an engineering study for the project area that establishes a setback where no encroachment of any new development will be allowed that would increase the water surface elevation of the base flood plus one foot; or establish a setback from the stream bank equal to five times the width of the stream at the top of the bank or twenty feet on each side from the top of the bank, whichever is greater.
Height of the lowest floor	The lowest floor must be at least 1.0 foot above the base flood elevation. Applies: New or substantially improved buildings in flood hazard areas; measured to the bottom of the slab, lowest beam or basement floor. § 16.34.400 · code text New construction and substantial improvement of any structure shall have the bottom of the floor slab, lowest floor beam or basement floor elevated to a minimum of 1.0 foot above the base flood elevation. The lowest floor must be above the highest nearby ground, at least as high as the FIRM depth number. Applies: New or substantially improved buildings, including homes, in Zone AO. § 16.34.400 · code text New construction and substantial improvement to any structure in a Zone AO shall have the bottom of the lowest floor beam or basement floor elevated above the highest grade at least as high as the depth number specified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). The lowest floor must be 2 feet above the highest nearby ground. Applies: New or substantially improved buildings, including homes, in Zone AO when the FIRM shows no depth number. § 16.34.400 · code text If there is no base flood depth number specified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), the bottom of the lowest floor beam or basement floor shall be elevated to two feet above the highest adjacent grade.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the rules for building in a Camarillo flood zone?

Camarillo's code: You need a flood area development permit before construction or development starts in a special flood hazard area. (§ 16.34.300); The lowest floor must be at least 1.0 foot above the base flood elevation. (New or substantially improved buildings in flood hazard areas; measured to the bottom of the slab, lowest beam or basement floor.) (§ 16.34.400).

Building in a flood zone in Camarillo

What Camarillo's code says

Who this affects

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