Floodplain Management

What is a Floodplain?

A floodplain is any land area susceptible to being inundated by the collection, pooling, and flowing of water from any source during the course of natural rain events. Floodplains may be classified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as Special Flood Hazard Areas and are located in a 100-year flood zone. The term “100-year flood zone” refers to a flood elevation that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded each year. View the floodplain map for the Town of Highland Park (PDF).

Federal regulations require home owners with federally insured mortgages (FHA or VA) to carry flood insurance if their home is located within the 100-year flood zone. To learn if your property is within the 100-year flood zone,  and for the most current floodplain information, please visit FEMA’s interactive floodplain map service center. More information can be found in the Flood Insurance Study for Dallas County (PDF).

Floodplain Permitting

Per Chapter 3, Article 3.12, of the Town’s Code of Ordinances, a special permit is required in order for a development or re-development to be built within the floodplain.  Development or re-development within a FEMA regulated floodplain may also require notification to that agency.

The Town Engineer is the Floodplain Administrator and is responsible for:

• Maintaining and holding all floodplain records
• Determining if proposed building sites/improvements will be reasonably safe from flooding
• Reviews, approvals, or denials of floodplain permit applications
• Interpreting areas of special flood hazard