If are planning a fill project in the rural area, it will need to go through a land development process. Some projects may be exempt from the land development process.
Exempt fill projects include:
- Less than 5,000 cubic yards of fill
- Sites outside of a:
- 100-year floodplain
- Drainage hazard area
- Significant Natural Resource area
- All material is topsoil
- For nurseries, all material is commonly used for nursery crops
- Fill material does not contain:
- Hazardous or contaminated substances
- Perishable material
- Asphalt, concrete, tires or similar materials
- Plans to complete grading within one year
- No fees charged to place fill
For a full list of exemptions, see Community Development Code Section 201-2.12(Link is external)
All fill projects that do not meet criteria are not exempt and must go through the land development process. If you are not sure if your project is exempt, submit a Preliminary Grading Review form(Link downloads document). Staff will determine if the project is eligible for exemption. The fee for the review is $395.
Both exempt and non-exempt projects will need a grading permit if the amount of fill is 150 cubic yards or more. If you are placing fill for an access or in the public right-of-way, you may need a right-of-way permit to address road safety.
Related
Land Development Process
