Mesa, AZ Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Mesa City Code § 4-1-8(S) treats the onsite grading permit as a Miscellaneous Engineering Fee item layered on top of standard building permit review handled by the Development and Sustainability Department. It applies only in the five triggering circumstances the ordinance lists, Desert Uplands, Historic Preservation Overlay, historic landmark, Maricopa County floodplain, or federal stormwater-compliance land, not to ordinary residential grading elsewhere in the city. A second, related permit, the subdivision 'at risk' grading permit under § 4-1-8(S)(2), must be obtained before any grading work begins for a subdivision; it exists to put the City and adjacent owners on notice that grading has started, and approved plans are not a prerequisite for issuing it.

Separately, § 8-5-3(E) of the Storm Water Pollution Control chapter bars the City from issuing any construction permit or giving verbal authorization to proceed with 'initial grading and drainage operations' until the applicant has filed a copy of its AZPDES or NPDES permitting-agency approval, or an applicable waiver, with the City Manager's designee. Grading, grubbing, or any other site disturbance that starts before the required building or engineering permit is issued triggers an unauthorized construction fee under § 4-1-8(T), assessed on top of the permit fee itself and collected whether or not a permit is ultimately granted.

The Building Safety Director administers Title 4, Chapter 1 and may serve a written notice of violation directing the responsible party to stop work and abate the condition.