Soil Erosion Permits for a New Home in Michigan
Why Soil Has Its Own Permit
Bare soil travels. Rain and wind carry it off a cleared lot, where it clogs pipes, muddies streets and harms creeks and wetlands. This permit often comes from a different office than the building permit.
We work alongside your architect or designer. They lead the design. We keep you informed at every step and build it with care.
Keeping Soil On The Lot
Where It Applies
A lot near a lake or a stream, or one with a large area of bare ground, is where this permit comes in. We check yours early and file before any digging starts.
Oakland County
For much of Oakland County, the permit comes from the Water Resources Commissioner’s office, and some communities run a program of their own. We confirm which one covers your lot and file with it.
Wayne County
In Wayne County we file with Land Resource Management or with the town’s building department, depending on the community. A single home has an application of its own, and we have the permit in hand before any earthwork begins.
Macomb County
In Macomb County the application goes to the Public Works Office with a drawing of the lot showing the home. We prepare the drawing and submit it.
Livingston And Washtenaw Counties
Here the work is shared between county offices and some towns. We confirm which office handles your lot before anything is designed.
After You Move In
This permit can outlast the build. In Oakland County it passes from the builder to the homeowner and stays open until the lawn has grown in. We explain what applies to your home before we hand it over.
General information, not legal advice. Each town, county and state office decides what applies to a property.
Questions About Soil Erosion Permits
What is a soil erosion permit?
It is a permit meant to keep soil from washing off a building site into drains, streams and lakes. We prepare the application for the homes we build.
Will our lot need a soil erosion permit?
That depends on how much ground is opened and how close the lot is to water. We check yours before design begins.
Who issues it, the town or the county?
It depends on the lot. We confirm which office covers yours and file there.
What is the fabric fence around a building site for?
It keeps soil on the lot while the ground is bare. We put the controls up, maintain them through the build, and leave them until the grass is established.
Does the permit end when the home is finished?
Not always. It can pass to the new homeowner until the lawn has grown in and the county closes it. We explain what applies before we hand over the home.
General information, not legal advice.
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