Loveland, CO Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit threshold
- 1/2 acre or more of disturbed land
- Enforcing agency
- Public Works Stormwater Utility Division
- Security required
- Cash deposit/letter of credit + 15% contingency
- Temporary BMP removal
- Within 14 days after stabilization
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 1.12.010
- Permit appeal window
- 30 days to Public Works City Engineer
Summary
Loveland requires a Stormwater Quality Permit from the city's Public Works Department before any land disturbance of one-half acre or more, or smaller parcels within a larger development plan reaching that threshold. Builders must post Performance Security covering estimated erosion-control costs plus a 15 percent contingency, and install Best Management Practices such as silt fence and inlet filters before grading begins.
A. Permit required. It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct any activity resulting in a land disturbance activity equal to or greater than one-half acre or for land disturbance activities less than one-half an acre that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale that would disturb one-half acre or more without first obtaining a Stormwater Quality Permit from the city. Total disturbed area includes any parcel of a project that meets the definition of "disturbed area," whether or not such parcels are contiguous.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13).
Full Breakdown
20 Stormwater Quality governs erosion and sediment control on every construction site in the city, administered by the Public Works Stormwater Utility Division. 060 requires a Stormwater Quality Permit for any land disturbance activity of one-half acre or more, and the city can require a permit for a smaller site tied to a final subdivision plat, special use permit, or site development plan regardless of acreage. Applicants must submit a Construction Site Stormwater Management Plan describing Temporary Best Management Practices, such as silt fence, wattles, vehicle tracking pads, inlet filters, and concrete washouts, and Permanent BMPs like rip-rap and turf reinforcement mats.
070 requires Performance Security, a cash deposit or irrevocable letter of credit sized to the estimated cost of the erosion-control work plus a 15 percent contingency, approved by the City Attorney. 110 assigns maintenance duties across the project's life: Developers must keep BMPs in good working order through the two-year public-improvement warranty period, Builders must maintain BMPs on lots they hold before resale, and individual Landowners must install any remaining Temporary or Permanent BMPs within ten days of taking title. All Temporary BMPs must come out within 14 calendar days after the site is stabilized and no longer needs them.
150, and can issue written compliance orders, stop work orders, and suspend or revoke a permit for a violation such as eroded soil leaving a disturbed area.
Violations & Fines
Violating a Stormwater Quality Permit, an approved SWMP, or Chapter 13.20 is a misdemeanor under Loveland Municipal Code § 1.12.010. The city can issue a compliance order giving 24 hours to fix an illicit discharge or unmaintained BMP, post a stop-work order that halts all site activity until lifted in writing, or suspend or revoke the permit outright. If the responsible party misses the compliance deadline, the city can enter the property, perform the erosion-control work itself, and bill the cost against the Performance Security or the Permittee directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every construction project in Loveland need an erosion-control permit?
What happens if silt escapes a Loveland job site?
Who pays for stormwater quality inspections in Loveland?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loveland
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Larimer County handle erosion control.