Grading & Drainage: Apex vs Raleigh
How do grading & drainage rules compare between Apex, NC and Raleigh, NC?
Raleigh has fewer restrictions than Apex.
Apex, NC
Wake County
Grading and drainage in Apex are regulated through the Stormwater Control Measures (SCM) provisions of the Unified Development Ordinance Article 6 (Watershed Protection Overlay) and Article 8 (Stormwater), the Town's adopted NC Stormwater Design Manual, and the Soil and Erosion Control Ordinance. Apex is required to apply Jordan Lake Stage I Adaptive Management Strategy retrofit standards and — for projects in the Neuse River Basin portion of Town — must use the NC DEQ Stormwater Nitrogen & Phosphorous (SNAP) spreadsheet tool to demonstrate nutrient reduction. SCMs (detention basins, bioretention, wet ponds, sand filters) must be designed to hold and slowly release the design storm volume.
View full Apex rules →Raleigh, NC
Wake County
Raleigh requires grading permits for land-disturbing activities under the UDO. Development projects must maintain existing drainage patterns and prevent adverse stormwater impacts on neighboring properties. Grading plans are required for projects that exceed the 12,000 sq ft disturbance threshold. All grading must comply with stormwater and erosion control standards outlined in the Raleigh Stormwater Design Manual.
View full Raleigh rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Apex | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Governing Code | Apex UDO Art. 6 & Art. 8 + SPCA + NC Stormwater Design Manual | - |
| Design Storm (Jordan) | 1-year 24-hour no net increase (currently suspended) | - |
| Runoff Treatment | First inch of rainfall (historical Jordan Lake rule) | - |
| Nutrient Tool (Neuse) | NC DEQ SNAP spreadsheet (since July 2024) | - |
| Jordan Buffer | 50 ft from top of bank (15A NCAC 02B .0267 — IN FORCE) | - |
| Neuse Buffer | 50 ft (15A NCAC 02B .0233) | - |
| Stage I Retrofit | 2 SCM locations identified annually | - |
| Contact | Stormwater Field Services — (919) 362-8166 | - |
| Permit Required | - | Grading permit for land disturbance |
| Code Reference | - | Raleigh UDO — Development Standards |
| Threshold | - | 12,000 sq ft disturbance trigger |
| Drainage Standard | - | Must maintain pre-development drainage patterns |
| Design Manual | - | Raleigh Stormwater Design Manual |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Apex FAQ
Can I regrade my Apex lot or change my downspouts to drain toward a stream?
Not without complying with the Apex UDO grading and drainage rules. Any earth disturbance over 20,000 square feet triggers an Erosion Control Plan, and routing concentrated runoff toward an intermittent or perennial stream in the Jordan Lake watershed must respect the 50-foot riparian buffer under 15A NCAC 02B .0267 (Zone 1 inner 30 ft / Zone 2 outer 20 ft). Projects in the Neuse River Basin portion of Town must also use the NC DEQ SNAP spreadsheet tool to demonstrate nutrient reduction since July 2024. Submit to Stormwater Field Services at (919) 362-8166.
Do I need a drainage study for my Apex project?
Yes for any subdivision, commercial site plan, or land disturbance triggering UDO Article 6 / 8 review. The study must size on-site Stormwater Control Measures using the NC Stormwater Design Manual, demonstrate no increase in runoff to neighboring properties, and meet either the Jordan Lake Stage I Adaptive Management retrofit requirements (Upper New Hope arm) or the Neuse Nutrient Strategy nutrient-reduction targets via the SNAP tool. SCM types include detention basins, bioretention, wet ponds, sand filters, level spreader/vegetated filter strips, and stormwater wetlands.
Raleigh FAQ
Do I need a grading permit in Raleigh?
Yes, a grading permit is generally required for land-disturbing activities of 12,000 square feet or more. Smaller residential projects may still need to comply with drainage standards to avoid impacting neighboring properties.
Can I change the drainage on my Raleigh property?
Grading that alters drainage patterns and adversely affects neighboring properties may violate the city code. Contact Raleigh's Stormwater division before altering drainage on your property.
Compare other topics
See how Apex and Raleigh compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool