Permit Requirements for Repair of Flood-Damaged Structures

Flood events in Polk County can lead to flooding which results in damage to homes and businesses. Polk County urges owners of structures damaged by flooding to be aware of the following information.

Polk County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). All NFIP-participating communities have adopted locally enforced flood damage reduction regulations. These regulations contain standards for new, substantially damaged, and/or substantially improved structures in identified Special Flood Hazard Areas (100-year floodplains). The 100 year or regulatory flood has a one percent probability of occurring in any given year.

A substantially damaged structure is one that has damage equal to or exceeding 50 percent of the pre-damaged market value. Substantially improved structures include those with repairs, alterations or additions that are equal to or exceeding 50 percent of the market value of the structure before any improvements.

Polk County regulations, which reflect minimum federal criteria for flood damage prevention, require that development permits be obtained before any activities occur in the Special Flood Hazard Area. If you are located outside city limits in unincorporated Polk County and your residence or commercial structure has been affected by flooding and you are going to make repairs, please contact Polk County Community Development at (503) 623-9237 for a permit application and information on any standards that apply.

To determine if your structure is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, review a copy of the community Flood Insurance Rate Map located in the Community Development Department, located at the Polk County Courthouse, 850 Main Street, Dallas, Oregon or view flood maps on Polk County’s WebMap from https://maps.co.polk.or.us/pcmaps/ or from https://www.fema.gov/.

If you have additional questions, please contact Autumn Hillebrand at (503) 623-9237.