Cedar Rapids, IA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Major permit threshold
- 1 acre or more disturbed
- Minor permit threshold
- >1/4 acre to <1 acre, or new single-family home
- Fill exemption
- Under 25 cubic yards per 12 months
- Max finish slope near property line
- 3:1 within 15 feet of line
- Appeal deadline
- 20 days to Director or designee
- Enforcing official
- City Stormwater Official, Public Works Dept.
Summary
Cedar Rapids requires an erosion control permit before any land-disturbing activity in the city: a major permit for sites of one acre or more, a minor permit for sites between a quarter-acre and one acre and for all new single-family homes. The City Stormwater Official issues and enforces permits under Chapter 71.
(f)Except as provided in Section 71.04, Minor Erosion Control Permit Required, no person shall engage in land-disturbing activities within the City unless they have received an erosion control permit from the City. ... (a)Sites or common plans of development or sale that will result in a total disturbed area of one or more acres shall obtain a major erosion control permit prior to any land-disturbing activities. ... (a)Sites or common plans of development or sale that will result in a disturbed area of greater than one-quarter acre, but less than one acre and all new single-family dwellings shall obtain a minor erosion control permit prior to any land-disturbing activity.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 24).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 71 of the Cedar Rapids Municipal Code, repealed and reenacted by Ordinance No. 05. 03(a)); it requires a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) meeting General Permit No. 2 requirements, payment of the permit fee, and a Soil Quality Plan. 04(a)); the application must include a dimensioned drawing showing property lines, easements, the limits of disturbance, proposed sediment controls, a concrete washout facility and a rock entrance drive. 05 exempts crop production, cemetery graves, emergencies posing immediate danger, and fill of less than 25 cubic yards in a 12-month period. 07(f)). Permits are tied to the site owner's Iowa DNR General Permit No. 04(b)).
Violations & Fines
The City Stormwater Official may inspect any site and issue a notice to comply with a deadline; missing that deadline is a separate violation (Section 71.12(b)). A notice of violation can order work stopped, require repair and cleanup, and withhold building or occupancy permits, and it is filed with the County Recorder's Office; each day of continued noncompliance is a separate violation (Section 71.12(c)). Violations are enforceable by civil action, including injunctive relief, or as a municipal infraction under Iowa Code Section 364.22 (Section 71.15). If the City cleans up sediment tracked off-site, it invoices the responsible party for its actual cost, which becomes a lien on the property if unpaid within 30 days (Section 71.14).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a single new house in Cedar Rapids?
What triggers a major erosion control permit instead of a minor one?
Is any construction work exempt from Cedar Rapids' erosion control permit?
What happens if I miss the City's deadline to fix an erosion problem?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cedar Rapids
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