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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – County residents who own property in a former Recovery Map High Hazard Area (HHA) for floodingmay no longer need permitting review from the Flood Control District. On July 15, 2025, the Board of Supervisors (also acting as the Flood Control and Water Conservation District Board) approved a recommendation from the Floodplain Administrator to make the following changes:
- Update the County’s official flood hazard maps by adding FEMA’s Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps and related materials for parts of Santa Barbara County. These maps were first issued on March 26, 2024, and updated on May 15, 2025.
- Stop using FEMA’s older HHA Interim Advisory Flood Maps, which have been used since June 19, 2018. The new FEMA preliminary maps now replace the interim maps.
While development projects in the HHA may no longer need permitting review, projects next to streams or rivers, within building setback areas, inside the FEMA Preliminary or Effective flood maps, and/or in the Repetitive Loss Zone may still require review to ensure they comply with Flood Control District regulations. Larger or more complex projects—such as discretionary projects, subdivisions, or commercial developments—will still need to meet the Flood Control District’s standard approval conditions.
Where it rains, it can flood. No home is entirely safe from a flood event. Unfortunately, many property owners do not find out until it’s too late that their homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover flooding. While the rainy season is still months away, it’s never too early to get flood insurance. In most cases, there’s a 30-day waiting period before a new National Flood Insurance Program flood insurance policy takes effect. To learn more about how to get flood insurance, visit floodsmart.gov.
Residents can submit general questions by visiting santabarbaracountyca.withforerunner.com, or by contacting the Flood Control District at (805) 568-3440 or fccontact@countyofsb.org
