McDowell County, WV zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in McDowell County: Welch.
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 McDowell County has 81 FIRM panels, the newest effective June 2005; 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 a McDowell 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 West Virginia statewide parcel layer (WV GIS Technical Center, from each county assessor), so a McDowell lot shows the same lines the county assessor draws. McDowell County covers about 341,414 acres of land and 921 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The McDowell County assessor keeps the parcel record (McDowell County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
McDowell County zones its unincorporated land, and Welch zones the land inside its limits. ParcelSheet shows the use the county assessor lists for the lot and links the county planning commission for the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs.
ADU and guest houses
Under West Virginia's land use law (W. Va. Code chapter 8A), local governments can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a McDowell lot can add one depends on its district; the county planning commission 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. McDowell County is soil survey area WV047, McDowell County, West Virginia, last updated August 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in McDowell County needs a permit from the McDowell County health department (WV Office of Environmental Health Services).
Setbacks
Setbacks in McDowell County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the county zoning office gives them for the lot's district, and Welch for land inside its limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a McDowell lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in McDowell 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 McDowell County has 81 panels, the newest effective June 2005. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in McDowell County?
Open the West Virginia map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the McDowell County 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 McDowell County?
Zoning in McDowell County is set by the county for unincorporated land and by each city (such as Welch) inside its own limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code the county assessor lists and links the office that sets the zoning; the planning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in McDowell County?
Under West Virginia's land use law (W. Va. Code chapter 8A), counties and cities can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In McDowell County ask the zoning 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 McDowell County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in McDowell County needs a permit from the McDowell County health department (WV Office of Environmental Health Services). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area WV047 (McDowell County, West Virginia).
What can I build on 5 acres in McDowell County?
Zoning in McDowell County is set by the county for unincorporated land and each city inside its own limits (such as Welch). 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 planning office has the district and its rules. See the McDowell County website.
What are the residential setbacks in McDowell County (2026)?
Setbacks in McDowell County come from the zoning code of the county, or of the city when the lot is inside city limits: 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 zoning office gives them for the district. See the McDowell County website.
Next to McDowell County: Mercer County, Mingo County, Wyoming County.
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