Franklin County, FL Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Plan requirement
- erosion and sediment control plan
- Permanent features
- installed at earliest practical time
- Temporary features
- used for unforeseen conditions
- Exposed earth
- minimized in area and duration
- Related rule
- sod required at headwalls/drains, § 15.5-34
Summary
Construction on a platted subdivision in unincorporated Franklin County must include an erosion and sediment control plan as part of the stormwater management system. The county requires permanent control features as early as practical and temporary features to catch conditions that develop mid-build.
(c)Erosion control.(1)An erosion and sediment control plan shall be included as part of the stormwater management system pursuant to subsection (b). Permanent erosion and sediment control features shall be incorporated at the earliest practical time. Temporary erosion control features shall be used to correct conditions that develop during construction which were not foreseen at the time of design or to control erosion prior to the time it is practical to construct permanent control features.(2)Construction activity shall be scheduled such that the minimum area of unprotected earth is exposed and the duration of exposure is as short as practicable.
Full Breakdown
5. 5-35(b), rather than filed as a separate document. Permanent erosion and sediment control features must be incorporated at the earliest practical time in construction, and temporary erosion control features must be used to correct conditions that develop during construction that were not foreseen at the design stage, or to control erosion before it becomes practical to build the permanent features. The section further requires construction activity to be scheduled so that the minimum area of unprotected earth is exposed at any time and the duration of that exposure is as short as practicable, directly targeting bare-soil erosion during grading and road building.
5-31's requirement that all subdivision plats comply with the Franklin County Comprehensive Plan and the rules of the Department of Environmental Regulation, the Department of Natural Resources and other state and federal agencies. The county planner and county engineer review the erosion control plan as part of construction plan approval before a developer may record a final plat or obtain a development permit.
Violations & Fines
Section 15.5-35 does not set a standalone fine schedule; its enforcement mechanism is plat and construction-plan approval. A subdivision cannot receive final plat approval, and a developer cannot record the plat or obtain a certificate of occupancy, without an erosion and sediment control plan meeting § 15.5-35(c), and the county engineer inspects each construction stage before approving the work under § 15.5-56.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a developer need an erosion control plan to build a subdivision in unincorporated Franklin County?
How long can bare soil stay exposed during construction under Franklin County's rule?
Who checks erosion control compliance on a Franklin County subdivision?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Franklin County to another location·View the Florida environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.