Erosion Control & Stormwater Management Permits

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Erosion Control & Stormwater Management Permits page

These permits are required by Dane County ordinances governing Erosion Control and Stormwater Management (Chapter 14, Dane County Code of Ordinances and Chapter 11, Dane County Code of Ordinances).

What type(s) of permit(s) might I need?
What kinds of activities require a permit?
Application forms
Where do I turn for assistance and background information?
Where do I apply for a permit?
Tools to assist in completing an application
Additional forms that may need to be submitted

What type(s) of permit(s) might I need?

You may need one or more of the following types of permits, depending on the specifics of your project:

  • Erosion Control only
  • Erosion Control and Stormwater Management
  • Stormwater Management only
  • Shoreland Erosion Control only
  • Shoreland Erosion Control and Stormwater Management
What kinds of activities require a permit?

An Erosion Control permit is required for ANY of the following:

  • Land disturbing activity in excess of 4,000 square feet of land
  • Land disturbing activity on a slope of greater than 12 percent
  • Land disturbing activity that involves excavation, filling, or a combination of excavation and filling, in excess of 400 cubic yards of material
  • Disturbing more than 100 lineal feet of road ditch, grass waterway, or other existing open channel
  • Creating a new public or private road or access drive longer than 125 feet
  • Recording a subdivision plat
  • Any other land disturbing activity (even if less than 4,000 square feet) that the local approval authority determines to have a high risk of soil erosion or water pollution, or that may significantly impact a lake, stream, or wetland area
  • Any land disturbing activity in the shoreland zone

The Shoreland Zone includes all lands which are within:

  • 1000 feet from the ordinary high-water mark (OHWM) of navigable lakes, ponds, or flowages
  • 300 feet of the ordinary high-water mark (OHWM) or landward side of the floodplain of the navigable reaches of rivers and streams
  • Within 75 feet of the shoreland or inland wetland district.

Note: Shoreland zone erosion control plans must be stamped by a licensed professional engineer (P.E.). Minor projects may be exempt from the P.E. stamp requirement. Check with the Dane County Land Conservation Division to see if your project qualifies for an exemption.

A Stormwater Management permit is required for ANY of the following:

  • Any development creating impervious surfaces whose area added to all other impervious surfaces created on the site since August 22, 2001 equals 20,000 square feet or more
  • Recording a subdivision plat
  • Recording a certified survey map intended for commercial or industrial use
  • Redeveloping more than 4,000 square feet of an existing commercial, industrial, institutional or multifamily-use site
  • Other land development activities that the local approval authority determines may significantly increase runoff, flooding, soil erosion, water pollution or property damage, or significantly impact a lake, stream, or wetland area
Application forms

Download and print the Erosion Control & Stormwater Management Permit Application (PDF) (rev. 01/02/07) here

Download and print the Erosion Control Permit Application--Simplified Checklist version (PDF) (rev. 1/04/07) here, if your project involves erosion control only and meets the conditions listed at the top of the application (per Chapter 14, Dane County Code of Ordinances)

Where do I turn for assistance and background information?

The Dane County Erosion Control & Stormwater Management Manual provides information to help landowners, developers and consultants meet the requirements of Dane County's Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Ordinance.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Stormwater Management Ordinance (PDF)

For additional information that may be of use in the permitting process and/or for technical assistance, link to the Land Conservation Division’s Erosion Control and Stormwater Management page

For the history behind the passage of these ordinances and an explanation of the general importance of erosion control and stormwater management, see the Dane County Office of Lakes and Watersheds’ Erosion Control and Stormwater Management page.

Where do I apply for a permit?

Depending on the municipality in which your proposed project is located, you may need to apply with Dane County’s Land Conservation Division or with your local municipality. View this document for information on where to apply given your location: Where to Apply for a Permit? (PDF)

Tools to assist in completing an application: Additional forms that may need to be submitted:
Need help?

Contact the urban staff at the
Dane County Land Conservation Division:
(608) 224-3730

Attention consultants:
Submit information on your consulting firm here to be considered for inclusion in the county’s Erosion Control and Stormwater Consultant Registry: http://danewaters.com/business/consultant.aspx

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