Brown County, WI Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Fee
- $100 per application
- Review time
- 20 business days
- Permit term
- 180 days, extendable
- Notify start
- within 48 hours
Summary
Land-disturbing construction or grading in unincorporated Brown County needs a Chapter 40 permit and $100 fee from the County Highway Commissioner, reviewed within 20 business days, before work starts.
PERMIT REQUIRED. No responsible party may commence a land disturbing construction activity subject to this ordinance without receiving prior approval of an erosion and sediment control plan for the site and a permit from the County Highway Commissioner.
(2) PERMIT APPLICATION AND FEES. At least one responsible party desiring to undertake a land disturbing construction activity subject to this ordinance shall submit an application for a permit and an erosion and sediment control plan that meets the requirements of 40.09 and shall pay an application fee of $100.00 to the County Highway Commissioner. By submitting an application, the applicant is authorizing the County Highway Commissioner to enter the site to obtain information required for the review of the erosion and sediment control plan.
(3) REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF PERMIT APPLICATION. The County Highway Commissioner shall review any permit application that is submitted with an erosion and sediment control plan, and the required fee. The following approval procedure shall be used:
(a) Within 20 business days of the receipt of a complete permit application, as required by sub. (2), the County Highway Commissioner shall inform the applicant whether the application and plan are approved or disapproved based on the requirements of this ordinance.
(b) If the permit application and plan are approved, the County Highway
Full Breakdown
Under Brown County Code § 40.08, no responsible party may begin land-disturbing construction activity meeting the chapter's size thresholds without an approved erosion and sediment control plan and a permit from the County Highway Commissioner. The applicant submits a $100 application fee with the plan; the Commissioner must approve or deny within 20 business days of a complete submittal, or the plan is deemed approved. Permits run 180 days (or the length of the building permit, if longer), can be extended another 180 days, and the Commissioner may require a surety bond or letter of credit to guarantee compliance.
Violations & Fines
Starting work without an approved permit exposes the responsible party to a stop-work order, permit revocation, and a forfeiture of $500 to $5,000 per day the violation continues, plus prosecution costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers the permit requirement?
What if the county misses its review deadline?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brown County
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