| To help reduce the impacts of land disturbance and site grading, St. Charles County created an ordinance to deal with the affects of sediment runoff and erosion due to land development in 1992. In order to continue to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act, the county revised this ordinance by creating a new Chapter 412, Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations, in the Unified Development Ordinance, effective January 1, 2006. The purpose of this ordinance is to control soil erosion on land that is undergoing development for non-agricultural uses and to preserve the natural terrain and waterways of land within the unincorporated portion of St. Charles County. Soil erosion may result in the loss of valuable top soil, the degradation of water quality, and the obstruction of storm water flows in storm sewers, road ditches, and natural watercourses. The provisions in this regulation are intended to promote land preservation and the public welfare by guiding, regulating, and controlling the design, construction, use, and maintenance of any development or other activity that disturbs or breaks the topsoil or results in the movement of earth. |
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Land Disturbance Permit Required:
It shall be unlawful for the owner of a property and/or that owner’s agent to perform land disturbance activities in unincorporated St. Charles County affecting 5,000 square feet or more without obtaining a Land Disturbance Permit, unless the activity is exempted per Section 412.050 of the Unified Development Ordinance. For land disturbances less than 5,000 square feet, a Land Use Permit is required to be obtained from the Planning & Zoning Division per Section 405.530 of the Unified Development Ordinance.
State/Federal Permits Required:
In addition to the county permit, a permit issued by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is required to be obtained for land disturbance activities affecting one (1) acre or more. This permit also serves as the required federal permit for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) required under the federal Clean Water Act. Application forms may be obtained from MDNR by contacting their website, http://www.dnr.mo.gov, or their regional office at: Missouri Department of Natural Resources - St. Louis Regional Office, 7545 South Lindbergh, Suite 210, St. Louis, Missouri 63125, (314) 416-2960.
MDNR has separate forms for land disturbances less than five (5) acres, form “O,” and over five (5) acres, forms “E” and “G.” Items # 10.00 on form “O” and # 8 on form “G” ask whether an approved erosion control plan is operative in the unincorporated area of the county in which the land disturbance is occurring. St. Charles County does have an operative approved erosion control plan with MDNR; therefore, these boxes must be checked “yes” and a letter of approval must be obtained from St. Charles County and attached to the application form. If an MDNR permit is desired to be obtained at the time application is made for land disturbances of five (5) acres or more, forms “E,” “G,” and “O” must all be submitted together. Submittal of forms “E” and “G” only will result in a delay needed for the processing and issuance of the permit. This is only applicable for land disturbances occurring in the unincorporated portions of St. Charles County.
Plan Requirements & Fees:
Sediment and erosion control plans must be submitted for review and approval in accordance with Section 412.060 of the Unified Development Ordinance. A review fee in accordance with Section 425.020, N, 1 of the Unified Development Ordinance must accompany the plan submittal. Plan review will not commence until the review fee has been paid. Design criteria for sediment & erosion control measures have been established by the county and can be found in Section 60 of the Design Criteria for the Preparation of Improvement Plans.
Construction Notes
Design Criteria
Division Fees
Inspection Report Form
Land Disturbance Permit
Land Disturbance Permit Minor
Natural Watercourse Protection
Performance Guaranty
Review & Contractor Checklists
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