Are you planning a landscape project in Harris County, Texas? If so, you may be curious about the restrictions that apply to such projects. The answer depends on a variety of factors, including the size and scope of the project, the natural elevation of the terrain, and the regulations set by the Harris County Health Department and other local agencies. Milton Rahman, P. E., explains that the ratio of the natural elevation of the terrain (adjacent lowest slope) to the base elevation of the flood will determine whether development is allowed as if it were in an area of special flood danger (100-year floodplain).
If the LAG is equal to or greater than the BFE, then your application will be processed as if your house were not in the 100-year-old floodplain. However, if the LAG is lower than the BFE, then your application will be processed as if your house were on a 100-year floodplain. Harris County has established minimum standards for communities that drain into it. These standards include downstream easements, fire lane checklists, requests for abandonment of floodplain easements, clarifications of floodplain easements, LOMRs for the West Little York Bridge over Bear Creek, petitions for determination of acquired rights, small watershed restriction calculators, amended salvage depot regulations, amended regulations, property search and address maps, floodplain regulation reference sheets, Harris County Appraisal Districts, Harris County Fire Marshal Offices, and requests for certificates of compliance for household hazardous waste. If your property is outside of any special flood hazard area, then Harris County will require a complete residency application and an accurate site plan along with a full affidavit.
