Attention!
The appeals deadline for the Rowan County preliminary flood maps is December 18, 2025. To submit an appeal, please email or bring to our office a written request of appeal and supporting documentation. The City of Salisbury will process and submit appeals for all properties located within the City of Salisbury City Limits and ETJ. For appeals outside of the City of Salisbury, please contact Rowan County.
Floodplain Management and Administration
As a participant in the National Floodplain Insurance Program (NFIP), the City of Salisbury has adopted a flood damage prevention ordinance (Salisbury LDO, Appendix C) intended to reduce the risk of flood damage to insurable structures and help ensure the safety of our citizens. These ordinances prohibit development and regulate construction in designated floodplain areas to protect citizens, reduce property damage from flooding, and allow waterways to function naturally without obstructions.
All development within the regulated floodplain requires a Floodplain Development Permit (PDF). All permit applications must be submitted for review via the Salisbury Citizen Self-Service Portal and approved prior to any land disturbing activities taking place.
If your home or business is mapped within the Flood Hazard Area as delineated on the published Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), your mortgage company may require that you purchase flood insurance. Federally backed flood insurance is available for all properties in Salisbury regardless of whether they are inside or outside the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated floodplain.
The agent who helps you with your homeowners or renters insurance may be able to help you with purchasing flood insurance too. You can only purchase flood insurance through an insurance agent; you cannot buy it directly from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). If your insurance agent does not sell flood insurance, contact the National Flood Insurance Program’s Help Center at 1-800-427-4661 to request an agent referral.
The City of Salisbury offers citizens the opportunity to receive alerts regarding inclement weather and public safety. Sign up to receive alerts at salisburync.gov/RoCoAlerts.
To learn more about how to reduce the risk of flood damage to existing structures, please visit ReduceFloodRisk.org. Para obtener más información sobre cómo reducir el riesgo de daños por inundaciones en estructuras existentes, visite ReduceFloodRisk.org/ES/.