Etowah County, AL zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Etowah County: Rainbow City, Southside, Attalla.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Etowah County has 120 FIRM panels, the newest effective March 2019; no coastal V zones are mapped in it.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for an Etowah house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the Alabama county parcel layers (each county publishes its own), so an Etowah lot shows the same lines the county revenue commissioner or tax assessor draws. Etowah County covers about 342,485 acres of land and 8,637 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Etowah County revenue commissioner or tax assessor keeps the parcel record (Etowah County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In Alabama zoning is set by the city, or the county only where a local act of the legislature lets it zone: in Etowah County, Rainbow City, Southside, Attalla each zone the land inside their limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the lot's parcel record and the municipality it sits in; the city or county planning office has the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs. The Etowah County website lists the county's municipalities.
ADU and guest houses
Under Alabama's municipal zoning law (Code of Alabama Title 11, Chapter 52, Article 4), the city, or the county only where a local act of the legislature lets it zone can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether an Etowah lot can add one depends on its district; the city or county planning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Etowah County is soil survey area AL055, Etowah County, Alabama, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Etowah County needs a permit from the Etowah County health department (Alabama Department of Public Health soil and onsite sewage program).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Etowah County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the city or county planning office gives them for the lot's district, and Rainbow City, Southside, Attalla for land inside their limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near an Etowah lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Etowah County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Etowah County has 120 panels, the newest effective March 2019. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Etowah County?
Open the Alabama map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Etowah County revenue commissioner or tax assessor shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Etowah County?
Zoning in Etowah County is set by the city, or the county only where a local act of the legislature lets it zone (such as Rainbow City, Southside). ParcelSheet shows the use code on the parcel record and names the municipality; the city or county planning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Etowah County?
Under Alabama's municipal zoning law (Code of Alabama Title 11, Chapter 52, Article 4), the city, or the county only where a local act of the legislature lets it zone can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Etowah County ask the city or county planning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Etowah County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Etowah County needs a permit from the Etowah County health department (Alabama Department of Public Health soil and onsite sewage program). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area AL055 (Etowah County, Alabama).
What can I build on 5 acres in Etowah County?
Zoning in Etowah County is set by the city, or the county only where a local act of the legislature lets it zone (such as Rainbow City, Southside). The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the city or county planning office has the district and its rules. See the Etowah County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Etowah County (2026)?
Setbacks in Etowah County come from the zoning code of the municipality the lot sits in: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the city or county planning office gives them for the district. See the Etowah County website.
Next to Etowah County: Blount County, Calhoun County, Cherokee County, DeKalb County, Marshall County, St. Clair County.
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