Administration.
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 16-2
in effect§ 16-2. - Administration.
(a) Local Floodplain Administrator. The City Engineer is designated as the Local Floodplain Administrator (Administrator) to administer and implement the provisions of this chapter, the DCM, and appropriate sections of 44 CFR, National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) pertaining to floodplain management. Prior to authorization of any building permit by the City, the City Engineer shall review all such stream flow and runoff calculations as required under the terms of this chapter and the DCM. The City Engineer has final authority over engineering interpretations.
(b) Applicability of provisions.
(1) The Consultant Engineer (Engineer) registered in the State of Oklahoma must sign and seal all final plans submitted to the City for review and approval. Review and approval of the plans by the City shall not relieve the Engineer of responsibility for all aspects of the design included as part of the plans.
(2) The flood prone area provisions of this chapter shall apply to all lands, tracts, parcels, or lots which are in part or in whole traversed by or encompassed by or lying within 200 feet of the external boundaries of the delineated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain for that watercourse as shown on the effective floodplain maps, or an area deemed flood prone by the City Engineer.
(3) The location and boundaries of the floodplain are shown on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) Flood Hazard Boundary Map of the City, which are hereby incorporated into this chapter and placed on file in the office of the City Clerk. The maps, together with everything shown thereon and all amendments thereto, shall be as much a part of this chapter as if fully set forth and described herein. Application of this chapter to floodplain boundaries may be modified on portions of major river channels, primary channels, and secondary channels only by specific application of Flood Insurance Studies and Flood Insurance Rate Maps as completed and received from the Administrator.
(4) The boundaries of the floodplain are as they appear on the effective Flood Hazard Boundary Maps. The boundary lines on the map shall be determined using the scale appearing on the map. Where there is conflict between the boundary lines on the map and actual field conditions, the dispute shall be settled by the City Engineer. In all cases the person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to present a case to the City Engineer and to submit technical evidence if so desired. The City Engineer shall not allow deviations from the boundary line as mapped unless the evidence clearly and conclusively establishes that the mapped location of the line is incorrect.
(5) The areas of special flood hazard are identified by the FEMA in a scientific and engineering report entitled, "The Flood Insurance Study for Canadian County, Oklahoma and Incorporated Areas" dated June 7, 2019, with accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter.
(6) The areas of special flood hazard identified by the FEMA in a scientific and engineering report entitled, "The Flood Insurance Study for Cleveland County, Oklahoma and Incorporated Areas" dated March 27, 2024, with accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) dated March 27, 2024, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter.
(7) The areas of special flood hazard identified by the FEMA in a scientific and engineering report entitled, "The Flood Insurance Study for Oklahoma County, Oklahoma and Incorporated Areas" dated October 2, 2025, with accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) dated October 2, 2025, are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter.
(8) The areas of special flood hazard identified by the FEMA in a scientific and engineering report entitled, "The Flood Insurance Study for Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma and Incorporated Areas" dated May 16, 2019, with accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter.
(c) Disclaimer of liability.
(1) The degree of flood protection required by this chapter is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on scientific and engineering considerations. On occasion, greater floods can and will occur, and flood heights may be increased by manmade or natural causes. This chapter does not imply that land outside the floodplain areas or uses permitted within floodplain areas will be free from flooding or flood damage. This chapter shall not create liability on the part of the City or any officer or employee thereof for any flood damage that result from reliance on this chapter, or any decision made hereunder.
(2) Plans prepared by Engineers are the representations and responsibilities of those professionals. Approval of plans and other documents by the City, the City Engineer, or the Administrator are for administrative purposes only and are not and shall not be deemed a representation, guaranty, or warranty. Neither the City nor City Engineer nor the Administrator has the responsibility to verify or validate the information, assumptions, conclusions, or recommendations provided in a plan, document, and any approval thereof shall relieve not any landowner, developer, professional engineer or architect or other person or entity so providing.
(d) Penalty. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a Class "A" offense. For any second or subsequent offense and upon proof of prior conviction, said person shall be guilty of a Class "B" offense.
(e) Enforcement. The City Engineer, or designee, has full authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter and the DCM and permits issued under Federal and State authorities.
(Ord. No. 27691, § 2, 9-24-24; Ord. No. 27917, § 1, 9-9-25)
Source: City of Oklahoma City, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/oklahoma_city/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=OKMUCO2020_CH16DRFLCO_S16-2ADFetched: 10/28/2026