Erosion & Sediment Control Fees & Penalties

Erosion & Sedimentation Control Fees & Penalties 

• Placing a Guarantee/Security: $50

           Release, Reduction, or Replacement Request: $100

• Land Disturbance Permit - $500/acre

• Permit Renewal - $250/acre

• Single-Family Inspection - $65 per lot

• If sediment leaves site - Up to $5,000/day

• If sediment enters buffer, stream or wetlands - $25,000/day

• Continued violation after grace period - $5,000 per violation per day

• SCM Inspection - $250 per SCM

Violation Fee List

The following is a general list of fines. These fines may be subject to revision or change and are based on severity, onsite judgment and professional opinion.

No approved plan/grading without a permit (includes single family lots) - $5,000

Failure to install measures for lots less than ½ acre - $500

Erosion & Sediment Control re-inspection fee - $65

Failure to renew permit - $500

Failure to follow approved plan, or obtain signed plan prior to work - $2,500

Failure to submit revised plan - $2,500

Failure to provide adequate ground cover

• Slight - $500

  • 50' x 50' area

  • Less than 3:1 slope

  • Little possibility for erosion

• Moderate - $1,000

  • 100' x 100' area

  • 3:1-2:1 slope

  • Slight rilling

• Severe - $3,000-$5,000

  • 200' x 200' area

  • 2:1 slope or more

  • Large rills to gullies and washing

Insufficient measures to retain sediment onsite (see sediment offsite) - $500-$5,000

Failure to take all reasonable measures (see also insufficient measures)

• Large storm (non-hurricane) - $0-$500

  • At start of project prior to full installation - $500

  • In between phased grading - $750

  • Lack of planning - $1,000

  • Lack of maintenance - $2,500

  • Blatant disregard, with full knowledge of storms - $5,000

Inadequate buffer zone (50 feet, 100 feet for Richland) - $5,000

• Check 401/404 permits

Grading in floodplain - $5,000

• Call Army Corp of Engineers/DEQ

Filling in Wetland, Creek or water course - $5,000

• Call Army Corp of Engineers/DEQ

Graded slopes and fill too steep - $2,500

Unprotected slopes (see failure to provide ground cover above) - $500-$5,000

Failure to maintain erosion control measures (see failure to take all reasonable measures)

• Slight potential for erosion problem - $500

• Moderate potential for erosion problem - $1000-$2,500

  • Interior of basin not seeded

  • baffles not installed or maintained

  • skimmer not dewatering

  • silt fence blown over (slightly)

  • construction entrance failing

• Severe potential for erosion problem - $5,000

  • Silt fence blown out (top or bottom)

  • Sediment basin over half full

  • tree protection fence down

Sediment offsite

• Slight (each can be separate violations, examples only) - $500

  • Construction entrance violation, mud tracking

  • Average 10' x 10' area

  • Seeded area that did not take and eroded offsite

  • Up to one 5-gallon bucket full

• Moderate (each can be separate violations, examples only) - $1,000

  • Silt fence overtopped, concentrated water, not into inlet

  • Less than two 5-gallon buckets

  • Average area is 20' x 30'

  • Skimmer dewatering too fast, over 50 NTU

• Severe (each can be separate violations, examples only) - $5,000

  • Sediment in water course buffered stream (intermittent & ephemeral), wetland, pond, floodplain

  • Sediment onto private property (including ponds)

  • Sediment area larger than 20' x 30'

  • More than two 5-gallon buckets full

  • Sediment overtopping silt fence into unprotected inlet

Note:Town of Wake Forest fees are subject to change without notice. Please contact the appropriate department to confirm current fees and charges.