Jacksonville, NC Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

City Code Chapter 22, cited as the City of Jacksonville Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Ordinance, provides in Sec. 22-4(c) that no person shall undertake any land-disturbing activity subject to the ordinance without first obtaining plan approval from the city, and Sec. 22-4(f) exempts activity that does not exceed one acre in surface area, aggregating commonly owned or unit-developed tracts. Sec. 22-5(a) reinforces that no person may initiate land-disturbing activity uncovering more than one acre without an approved erosion control plan, and requires notifying the city engineering division of the start date before work begins.

Sec. 22-7(5) sets the timing: no one may start activity disturbing more than one acre unless a plan is filed and approved at least thirty days beforehand, though the city's express permit program can accept a plan filed on shorter notice. Sec. 22-17 spells out plan content, financial responsibility statements, soil and water conservation district review within twenty days, and a thirty-day city decision deadline, with failure to act deemed an approval. Sec. 22-5(d) through (g) block the city from issuing a building permit, approving a final plat, conducting infrastructure inspections, or issuing a certificate of occupancy on any tract under a continuing notice of violation, with the city manager's written authorization required. Agricultural production, forestry conducted under state water-quality practice guidelines, and mining-permitted activity are excluded under Sec. 22-4(b).