Cocoa, FL Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- Clearing 1+ acre of land
- Governing ordinance
- Ord. No. 09-2011, § 22-65 et seq.
- Soil stabilization deadline
- 14 days after clearing stops
- Vegetation window
- 4 weeks or city orders reseeding
- Enforcing body
- Cocoa Code Enforcement Board
- Emergency report deadline
- 10 days after emergency action
Summary
Cocoa requires a site development permit before clearing an acre or more of land, and no permit issues until the city engineer or building official approves an erosion and sediment control plan. The Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control Ordinance, adopted by Ord. No. 09-2011, sets stabilization deadlines, sediment barriers and inspection triggers for every construction site in the city.
Sec. 22-65. - Short title. This subdivision shall be known and may be cited as "The City of Cocoa Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control Ordinance." ... Sec. 22-67. - Permits. (a)A site development permit is required for land-disturbing activity that would require the clearing of at least one acre of land. No site development permit shall be issued without the approval of an erosion and sediment control plan by the city engineer, building official, or designee as required by Section 22-68. ... Sec. 22-72. - Enforcement. ... In addition to all other remedies, a person who has been determined to have violated a provision of this subdivision may be sentenced to pay a fine as specified in section 6-720, as follows: Class I for a first violation, Class II for a second violation, Class III for a third violation and Class IV for all subsequent violations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17).
Full Breakdown
Under Cocoa Code of Ordinances § 22-67, anyone planning to clear at least one acre inside the city must obtain a site development permit, and the city will not issue one until the city engineer, building official or designee signs off on an erosion and sediment control plan required by § 22-68. The application must name the owner, developer and any engineering firm involved, pay a filing fee, and can require a faithful performance bond or letter of credit covering the cost of the required improvements.
Existing nurseries and agricultural operations, and emergency work needed to protect life or property, do not need a permit. Once approved, § 22-70 sets the design floor: soil disturbed by clearing must be stabilized within fourteen (14) days of clearing or of a lull in construction, and if seeding is used it must take root within four (4) weeks or the city engineer can order reseeding or a nonvegetative fix. Sites must keep perimeter sediment barriers, settling basins or traps, a vegetated buffer strip for neighboring parcels, a stabilized construction entrance, and covered waste containers collected on a schedule so they never overflow.
The permittee must notify the city engineer, building official or designee at least two working days before key milestones, including installation of erosion controls, the start of construction, and completion of rough and final grading, so an inspector can sign off under § 22-71. The city engineer or building official can suspend or revoke the permit outright under § 22-72 if work departs from the approved plan or threatens neighbors. An emergency exemption under § 22-73 allows immediate protective action without a permit, but the property owner must report it within ten (10) days.
Violations & Fines
The Code Enforcement Board hears alleged violations, and every day a site stays out of compliance counts as a separate offense. A violator faces an escalating fine schedule under § 6-720: Class I for a first violation, Class II for a second, Class III for a third, and Class IV for every violation after that. Violators also bear the city's investigation, testing and restoration costs, and the city engineer can suspend or revoke the site development permit while the violation continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to clear a small residential lot in Cocoa?
How fast must I stabilize soil after clearing in Cocoa?
What happens if my erosion control plan is not followed?
Who approves the erosion and sediment control plan?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cocoa
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Cocoa to another location·View the Florida environmental rules overview
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brevard County handle erosion control.