Volusia County, FL Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- Clearing, draining, subdividing, or filling land needs a permit
- Small-project exemption
- Under 4,000-5,000 sq ft impervious area exempt
- Design standard
- Runoff must match predevelopment peak flow, 25-yr storm
- Retention minimum
- At least one-half inch of runoff depth sitewide
- Governing sections
- § 50-105 prohibited acts; § 50-107 performance standards
Summary
Volusia County requires a permit before anyone clears land, drains it, or changes a structure's size or use in the unincorporated county, because those activities can disrupt stormwater runoff patterns. The permit confirms the project meets the county's minimum stormwater and environmental protection standards before a building permit or development order can be issued.
(a) Prohibited acts. (1) No person may develop or make any change in the use of land or construct a structure or change the size of a structure, except as exempted in subsection (b) of this section, without first obtaining a permit which meets the minimum environmental protection standards set out in this division. (2) No building permit, development order or other form of construction approval shall be granted without the prior approval by the local government, of plans exhibiting the methods by which these minimum environmental protection standards shall be met.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 108 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 50-105 of the county code makes it unlawful to "develop or make any change in the use of land or construct a structure or change the size of a structure" without first obtaining a permit meeting the minimum environmental protection standards of Division 2, Chapter 50. The code specifically lists clearing or draining land for construction, converting agricultural land to nonagricultural use, subdividing land, replatting recorded subdivisions, altering a shoreline or bank, filling depressional areas, and lowering the water table as activities that can disrupt stormwater runoff and therefore require a permit before construction begins.
No building permit, development order, or other construction approval may be granted until the county approves plans showing how the project will meet these standards. Sec. 50-105(b) exempts single-family and duplex residences and their accessory structures, bona fide agricultural pursuits, mosquito-control canal maintenance, and small one-time construction projects under 4,000 or 5,000 square feet of impervious area depending on use. Beyond the permit trigger, Sec. 50-107 sets the design standards a project must meet: retention equal to at least one-half inch of runoff depth across the site, discharge hydrographs that do not exceed predevelopment peak flow and volume for a 24-hour, 25-year storm, and a requirement that erosion by wind or water be prevented throughout construction. "
Violations & Fines
Developing, clearing, or draining land without the required Sec. 50-105 permit is a violation punishable under Sec. 50-102 and the general penalty provisions of Sec. 1-7. Because no building permit or development order can legally issue without prior plan approval, unpermitted grading or drainage work also exposes the property owner to stop-work action and can delay or void any related construction approval already in the pipeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to change how I use my land in unincorporated Volusia County?
Are single-family homes exempt from the grading and drainage permit?
Who reviews grading and drainage permits in Volusia County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Volusia County
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