Clearwater, FL Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Chapter 28, Article IV of the Clearwater Code of Ordinances governs utility construction in the city's rights-of-way, and Sec. 95 sets the erosion and sediment control specifications every utility and its contractors must follow while trenching, boring or otherwise disturbing the ground. Subsection (14) requires storm sewer inlets to be protected from siltation at all times during construction, not just at the end of a job. Subsection (15) requires that following construction, all disturbed areas must be stabilized with sod, grass, mulch or other means approved by city staff, closing the window between excavation and permanent restoration.

Subsection (16) targets stockpiled soil specifically: any stockpile left on site for more than 24 hours must be protected by measures that prevent both wind and water erosion, so a contractor cannot leave exposed dirt piles over a weekend without covering or containment. Subsection (17) adds a stricter rule near environmentally sensitive ground: when work is adjacent to surface water bodies or wetlands, silt fences must be provided, not merely recommended. These specifications apply whether the utility is working under an annual general permit under Sec.

93(1) or a project-specific rights-of-way construction permit under Sec. 93(2); both permit types require the applicant to submit an erosion control plan as part of the application, and a public works inspector may be present during construction under Sec. 95(11) to confirm compliance. The rules sit within Article IV, adopted by Ordinance No. 6637-00 to govern private utility work in public rights-of-way, so they apply to the telecommunications, cable and electric utilities that dig up Clearwater streets and easements, not to private development sites governed separately by the Community Development Code.