Sediment & Erosion Control in Permitting

As a component of the development process and the Stormwater Management Program, any public or private, industrial, commercial, or residential subdivision project that will be engaging in any land disturbing activity in the city is required to submit documentation to acquire a land disturbance (stormwater) permit from the city and may also need a second permit from the state, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Construction (SCR10000), depending on the size of the type of project.

Once a City Stormwater Permit is acquired, the Primary Permittee will use this approval letter to submit to SC DES for issuance the projects state NPDES permit, if the project is >1 acre of part of an LCP.

Redevelopment and property enhancements to existing commercial and residential buildings may be exempt from this permitting requirement, but that is not always the case. Make sure to contact the Stormwater Management Department to verify the requirements for your project.

The Stormwater Management Department is committed to providing each applicant assistance with the process. If at any time there is a question about obtaining, maintaining, or terminating a stormwater permit (city or state), you may contact our office for assistance.

• All waterbodies are protected by a 50ft undisturbed buffer by city ordinance.
• SC DES changes regarding ePermitting submission and payments.
• Some of our forms have been updated, be sure to use the most recent forms provided.

As of April 2025, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) will require developers and builders (Permittees) to submit construction Notice of Intent (NOI's) and associated documents through the SCDES online ePermitting system. In preparation for this change, Permittees are asked to create an ePermitting account ahead of time and mail a signed Certifier Agreement (with an original wet signature) to SCDES. If the project engineer will be uploading documents, they must also create an ePermitting account. However, please be aware that the Permittee will be responsible for finalizing any submission in ePermitting; the engineer cannot submit on the Permittee's behalf.

If you have questions about this process, please see this link to SCDES FAQs for further information.

The City of North Augusta's Stormwater Permitting Process has not changed, with the exception of one item. We will no longer accept checks for NPDES permit fee payments for SC DES. The only check included in a City Stormwater Permit Submittal Package should be for the project's City of North Augusta Stormwater Review Fee.

Please submit all items from the Completeness Checklist for your project type, with paper and electronic copies of all documents. 

Project Permits

There are two types of project permits and up to two permits will be issued for each project:

• Projects that disturb less than one acre (<1) and are not part of a larger common plan (LCP) of development. These are considered small stand-alone projects that are exempt from state permitting in most cases. One permit will be issued, a City of North Augusta small project permit.
•  Projects that disturb greater than 1 acre (>1) of land during construction or less than <1 acre and are part of a larger common plan LCP. These are considered large projects and (2) permits will be issued, a City of North Augusta large project permit and a state NPDES permit.
• Major modifications to existing permits are required for both the city and the state permit if the plan needs to be modified. 

A Stormwater Management Permit Application Review Fee is $100 per disturbed acre for large or small projects, with a $2,000 maximum. Payable to City of North Augusta.

An additional SCDES NPDES permit fee is required only for projects with more than 1 acre of disturbed land or that are less than 1 acre and are a part of a Larger Common Plan of development. This fee, as of April 2025, will have to be paid through SCDES ePermitting process. (See SCDES Permitting Changes tab above.)

Major Modifications to existing permits require a fee equal to one-half (1/2) of the original stormwater management permit application review fee, plus the increase in disturbed acreage at $100 per disturbed acre (if applicable).

Other fees may be required.

Building Lots 

In some instances, an individual lot permit will be required by a developer. The Individual Lot Notice of Intent (IL-NOI) application has instructions provided. If this type of permit in needed, make sure that the subdivision developer provides you with the existing NPDES Permit number and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for the project. The City of North Augusta will not provide those documents to you unless extenuating circumstances are present, and there will be a cost associated with copies of documents. If you are required by a developer to pull an individual lot permit, you will need to submit the application form along with an individual lot permit fee to SCDES in Columbia SC. If you pull individual lot permits for a portion of a project, please notify the Stormwater Department and send a copy of that permit to us for our records. 

Stand-alone building lots in existing subdivisions or on private land that does not have a current City or State stormwater permit in effect, will be automatically covered under the stormwater permit program when the Building Permit is issued.  You will be provided with a sediment and erosion control best management practices (BMPs) Guide for Individual Lots when you pull the Building Permit.  Please be advised that no land disturbing activity may commence prior to acquiring a building permit for the site.  Install the perimeter BMPs required, then contact the city for a stormwater inspection prior to removing trees (with root) or moving dirt.

Inspections

City Inspections: Construction projects throughout the city are routinely inspected by certified staff to verify that they are in compliance with stormwater permits. The inspections are conducted to verify that the site is in compliance with the City Stormwater Permit, the NPDES, CGP, and other water quality permits that may have been issued for the project and to make sure waterways are being protected throughout the construction process.  In some instances, it may be determined that the project is out of compliance with city ordinances or other regulations that govern the activity, even though the approved plan is followed.  In these cases, the site inspector will alert the project owner and the project engineer that additional measures are needed and must be implemented. The city utilizes its Enforcement Response Plan as a guideline when conducting inspections. If the site fails an inspection, the first re-inspection is free.  If the site fails the re-inspection, subsequent inspections to verify the issues are resolved will require a $50.00 fee to be paid to the city (for each).  

Self-Inspections: Certified Inspectors (i.e. CEPSCI or PE) are required for most projects, your site plan will indicate if you are required to have them. Each project is required to conduct weekly inspections of their sediment & erosion control and also after 1/2" storm events. This is to ensure your project is not polluting streams, wetlands, adjacent property, storm systems or roadways that drain to them. These inspections are required and paid for by the developer or contractor and are separate from the city required inspections. The city will inspect the log to ensure that these self-inspections are taking place.

Permit Forms & Documents

Design Guides for Engineers