Milton, WI Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- 1+ acre of land disturbance after March 10, 2003
- Sediment reduction target
- 80% reduction in runoff sediment load
- Application fee
- $45.00 (Sec. 10-443(b))
- Permit duration
- 180 days, extendable, or length of building permit
- Enforcer
- Director of Public Works or City Engineer
Summary
Milton requires a city permit and an erosion and sediment control plan before land-disturbing construction of one acre or more, and the plan's best management practices must cut sediment runoff by 80 percent until the site is fully stabilized.
(1)This division applies to the following land-disturbing construction activities except as provided under subsection (a)(2):a.A construction site, which has five or more acres of land-disturbing construction activity.b.A construction site, which has one or more acres of land-disturbing construction activity after March 10, 2003. ... BMPs that, by design, achieve to the maximum extent practicable, a reduction of 80 percent of the sediment load carried in runoff, on an average annual basis, as compared with no sediment or erosion controls until the construction site has undergone final stabilization. No person shall be required to exceed an 80 percent sediment reduction to meet the requirements of this paragraph.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 21 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 10, Article VII, Division 3 of the Milton Code of Ordinances, adopted under Wis. 234 for cities, governs construction site erosion. Sec. 10-439(a) sets the trigger: the division applies to any construction site with five or more acres of land-disturbing activity, and, since March 10, 2003, to any site with one acre or more, plus any smaller site the director of public works or city engineer decides is likely to overload drainage facilities or cause channel erosion. Sec. 10-436 assigns administration and enforcement to the director of public works or city engineer, and makes clear the division does not preempt stricter Wisconsin DNR erosion standards under Wis.
33. Sec. 10-442 sets the performance bar: best management practices must be designed to cut the sediment load carried in runoff by 80 percent on an average annual basis compared with no controls, sustained until the site reaches final stabilization, defined in Sec. 10-440 as at least 70 percent perennial vegetative cover on unpaved, unbuilt areas. Sec. 00 permit application fee alongside the erosion and sediment control plan required by Sec. 10-444, with a 30-business-day review period, and lets the city require a surety bond to guarantee the approved plan is carried out.
Permits under Sec. 10-443(g) run 180 days or the length of the building permit, whichever is longer, and permit holders must notify the city within 48 hours of starting work and inspect BMPs within 24 hours of any half-inch rain event.
Violations & Fines
Under Sec. 10-447, the director of public works or city engineer can post a stop-work order for construction proceeding without a permit, without a good-faith erosion and sediment control plan, or in breach of permit conditions, and can revoke the permit if the responsible party does not comply. Continued noncompliance can be referred to the city attorney to obtain a court cease-and-desist order, and the city may enter the site to perform corrective work and bill the cost to the property owner as a special tax assessment; violators also face a per-day forfeiture and the costs of prosecution under Sec. 10-447(f), with an appeal available to the board of appeals under Sec. 10-448.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an erosion control permit to build in the City of Milton, Wisconsin?
What sediment reduction does Milton require during construction?
How much does a Milton erosion control permit cost and how long does it last?
Sources & Official References
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Rock County handle erosion control.