Erosion Control Requirements for New Residential Construction

The Engineering Department handles erosion control requirements for commercial and site development projects. Contact (262) 236-2934 for further information.

The Inspections Department handles erosion control for single and two-family projects.

It is expected that all appropriate erosion control and best management practices will be in place prior to any soil disturbing activities.

A. Erosion control violations will be communicated to the builder/owner by letter or a Notice of Violation. 

Once the deadline state on the correspondence is past, and if a correction has not been made,
then a citation will be issued in the amount of $100.00 per day that the violation remains uncorrected.

B. Tracking surface is to be installed before excavation is begun.

1. Use 2-3 inch diameter rock. The surface must extend at least 50 feet from the road edge or to the foundation if the distance is less than 50 feet.
2. Clean the streets (no flushing allowed) at the close of each workday if they are tracked with mud and debris.

C. Soil piles

1. For soil piles left for 30 days or less– silt fence or straw bales must be installed around the perimeter.
2. For soil piles left for more than 30 days – Stabilize with mulch, seed, or by covering with tarps.
3. Soil piles cannot be located closer than 25 feet to a road, ditch or water channel.

D. Site requirements

1. Do not strip the entire site, only the area required for building.
2. Always try to keep ground cover in the roadside ditches and on an area extending at least 10 feet back from the road.
3. Filter fence or straw bales must be located on the side slope and down slope sides of the site and along the edges of water channels or drainage ditches running through the site.  They must be maintained throughout the duration of the project. 
4. All disturbed ground that is left inactive for seven days must be stabilized by seeding, sodding, mulching or covering.
5. Destabilized soil may not be left over the winter months. Bare soil must be seeded, sodded, mulched or covered before September 30. Bare soil left over the winter months after September 30 must be mulched or covered.

E. Builders

1. All erosion control devices must be in place and in good repair before the site is issued a final Occupancy Permit and the homeowner takes possession.
2. It is the builders responsibility to inform the homeowner of their responsibility in maintaining the erosion control devices until ground cover is established.

F. Homeowner

1. It is the builder's responsibility to inform the homeowner of their responsibility for maintaining the erosion control devices until ground cover is established.  Sufficient ground cover for removal of erosion control devices is deemed to be plant/grass growth of at least one inch in height covering more than 75% of the disturbed area.